Bendigo Advertiser |MISSED opportunities will haunt Leitchville-Gunbower after Saturday’s Heathcote District Football League grand final loss to North Bendigo.
The Bombers were beaten by 10 points, losing 10.13 (73) to 8.15 (63) at Huntly.
Both sides had 23 scoring shots apiece, but it was the Bulldogs who made more of their opportunities to deny the Bombers what would have been their first premiership in 20 years.
The Bombers’ score of 63 – their lowest of the season – featured 3.10 after half-time, including 1.7 from 18 inside-50s in the final term when they pressed hard, but couldn’t convert on the scoreboard.
And for coach Matt Hawken, that was the difference in the game in what was just the Bombers’ second loss of the season.
“North Bendigo took their opportunities… I don’t know what we kicked in the last quarter, but we certainly gave ourselves chances to score,” Hawken said.
“We dropped a couple of marks, missed some shots, but if you kick those, you win the game of footy.
“It was a game of inches and they made the most of it.”
The Bombers’ seven-last quarter behinds included five set-shots, while a snap from Jack Dye hit the post.
The best for the Bulldogs was defender Hoby Bussey, who kept Brady Herdman goalless.
The classy Tim Lincoln (two goals), who was shadowed by Jaran McKay, constantly loomed dangerously, while Jackson McEwen, Jake Truefeldt, Joel Helman and co-captain Jye Keath were also in the best.
