South Bunbury have edged one step closer to reclaiming top spot on the ladder, when they defeated Busselton at Hands Memorial Oval on Saturday afternoon, in round seventeen of the Dale Alcock Homes South West, South West Football League season.
The game had everything, at times played at a frenetic pace, with some heavy tackles and great goals in difficult conditions, with rain and gusty winds along with some sunshine all playing their part during the contest.
The match yielded just ten goals, with Busselton getting off to the perfect start, with Ryan Ekert kicking the opening goal to the Southern end in the first four minutes. Two minutes later Jozef Parkinson goaled on the run, as Busselton dominated the early part of the match. One of the goals of the game would be kicked by Liam Creighton, deep in the right forward pocket from a set shot, with the wind coming over his right shoulder. While Busselton kicked straight, the Tigers managed just three behinds in the first quarter.
With rain falling at the start of the second quarter, the game become bogged down in the early going played almost exclusively on the outer side. Kade Wallrodt kicked a good goal from deep in the pocket to give the Tigers their first goal. Both defensive lines were well on top, with the Tigers peppering the goals, managing a further three behinds before Blaine Johnson goaled on the run, giving the Tigers the lead, despite Busselton seemingly being in control of the contest. A minute later Ryan Ekert converted a set shot, giving Busselton back the lead.
That goal by Ekert at the 21 minute mark of the second quarter would be the Magpies last, as the Tigers dominated the second half, but the match remained close due to the low scoring. The Tigers set up the win with three goals in the third term as the wind increased, with many kicks traveling 55-60 metres on the breeze. Blaine Johnson was on the end of a brilliant handball from Kade Szyszka to put the Tigers back in front, and when Ethan Nordahl snapped a handy goal out of a congested pack, the Tigers led by nine points, with became fifteen a minute later when Mitch Bain goaled from the line of fifty.
The final quarter was a dour affair, with just the one goal kicked by Shaun Crane as the Tigers recorded an eighteen point victory.
The fight for top spot will go right to the wire, with Busselton now just one game clear at the top of the ladder, with a team bye in round nineteen, with matches next week against Collie (away) and the final round against Donnybrook at home. South Bunbury have three remaining games, all at Hands Oval against Harvey Bulls, Bunbury and Harvey Brunswick Leschenault.
SCOREBOARD
South Bunbury 0.3.3 2.7.19 5.10.40 6.10.46
Busselton 3.0.18 4.0.24 4.2.26 4.4.28
Goals: South Bunbury – Blaine Johnson 2, Mitchell Bain 1, Shaun Crane 1, Ethan Nordahl 1, Kade Wallrodt 1. Busselton – Ryan Ekert 2, Liam Creighton 1, Jozef Parkinson 1.
Best: South Bunbury – Mitchell Bain, Jace Cormack, Rocco Versace, Thomas Gallaway, Cole Sawyer, Jay Wright. Busselton – Brodie Howell, Ryan Ekert, Jozef Parkinson, Kelton Kemp, Kiedis Solberg, Lucas Kemp.
Ground: Hands Memorial Oval
Umpires: Talen Guthrie, Braden Surrall, Cameron Valenti
Crowd: 732
