By Peter Wilkie

 

Buninyong v Ballan at Buninyong.

Saturday, 2 June 2007

 

Reserves
Buninyong 11.10 def Ballan 4.7

 

 INJURIES: - Nil                          REPORTS: -Nil

 

Like proud new parents, the Buninyong Football Club was finally able to show off its brand new home on Saturday, one of the biggest and best equipped in the Bendigo Bank Central Highlands Football League.

 

Then, the Porter Industries Bombers set about the best way to wet their new baby’s head by scoring a valuable 46 point win over Ballan.

 

After a nervous, stuttering start, the Bombers overcame fellow finals aspirant Ballan to set up their inaugural home victory with powerful second and third quarters, eventually running out to win 16.8 to 8.10.

 

Early it seemed Ballan had adapted quicker to the spacious Buninyong ground, and Hayden Cartledge was carving a swathe through the middle, bringing other Ballan players in to the game with him.

 

The Bombers began the second brightly, with Ash Coulthard lifting his work rate to match that of Cartledge, and the big crowd was treated to a marvelous display as the two dynamos went about powering their teams forward at every opportunity.

 

Buninyong’s sometimes misfiring forward set up began to find its targets, most notably Adam Scott who booted 4 of his total of 8 goals in his sides dominant third term.

 

After the Blues had cleared the center to give their quarter the perfect start with a goal in seconds, Buninyong reasserted itself, and running creative players like the brilliant Jarrod Morgan and Kenny Terry found way too many possessions for Ballan to be able to withstand the tide.

 

Ballan are a tough, close checking side who make their opposition earn every kick, and Michael Sacco, Salesi Uhi and Troy Leon never stopped trying, but the flow of the game was against the Blues.

 

Post game, Buninyong Coach Steve McGee said the team had started to show some of its true form.

 

“That was about our strongest side (for the year), after we had a team a bit patched up with injuries early in the year,” said McGee.

 

Asked if the big occasion had contributed to nervous start, McGee said “We had some nervous energy, but Ballan came here full of running to start. Some of our disposal was very poor early, and those turnovers cost us three goals.”

 

Once the nerves settled, Buninyong would go on to record a very important win in the context of their season, on a very important day in the context of their history.

 

BEST PLAYERS: 

BUNINYONG- J .Morgan, A. Coulthard, A. Scott, J. Gilbert, J. Orwin, K. Terry.

BALLAN- H. Cartledge, M. Sacco, T. Leon, P. Hamm, D. O’Hanlon, S. Uhi.

BUNINYONG – A. Scott 8, J. Morgan 3, D. O’Loughlin, R. Gilbert, S. Berriman, D. Beaumont, L. Nolan 1.

 

BALLAN – B. Newton 2, S. Uhi, M. Sacco, J. Branch, P. Hamm, R. Watts, A. Kent 1.