MIGHTY MATT: Matt Thomson was one of Bombers best in their exciting win over Broadbeach last weekend.
IN a match that was described by most pundits as the classic eight-point game, the Redland Bombers prevailed over fellow NEAFL Northern Conference finals aspirant Broadbeach to record a 13 point win at Victoria Point last Saturday.
The unseasonal winter wet didn't miss the Colburn Avenue venue with a heavy track ensuring a battle of attrition, with contested ball a feature.
From the outset it was clear the Cats had come to play, with their physic-ality and precise ball movement forcing the Bombers onto the back foot.
Turning just eight points in arrears at quarter time actually flattered the Bombers as the margin was tempered by goals from Scott Clouston, Damian Steven, and Brad Howard.
The Cats' dominance in contested footy continued in the second term.
The Bombers struggled to convert when inside the forward 50 and only a set shot goal from Josh Pullman after the siren kept the margin under three goals.
The Bombers made a number of positional changes at halftime to try and generate some momentum and despite the Cats kicking the first goal of the quarter to take a 22 point lead, slowly but surely the home side worked their way back into the contest.
Matt Thomson, Brad Rees, and Tom Salter were all responsible for the turnaround while forwards Clouston and Pullman complemented the work done inside the forward fifty with two goals apiece in the quarter.
A seven-goal-to-three third term saw the Bombers lead by 10 points at the last break but that lead was quickly eroded as the Cats kicked the opening two goals of the final quarter.
Again the Bombers lifted their rating and ran and carried the ball in numbers.
Youngster Tyler Jones kicked a clutch goal from a set shot to regain the lead before a length of the ground chain ended with a Salter goal.
Majors from Steven and Blake Grewar sealed the deal and closed another epic chapter between these two evenly matched clubs
Final scores Redland 15.13.103 defeated Broadbeach 14.6.90.
In another gutsy but even team performance, the efforts of Thomson were second to none. Rees also revelled in the conditions and James Webster performed a defensive role well in the second half.
Clouston excelled with his second efforts in this game, Salter worked through adversity to have an impact and defender Nick Clarke did a wonderful negating job on Cats spearhead Jason Eagle.
The Bombers retain fourth place on the ladder as they go into their final bye for the season. The next and most critical period of the season commences on July 29 when the Bombers travel to Morningside for the first of their final four away games.
