RICK DREWER
KAPUNDA gave the home
fans something to cheer for
with a 11.5 (71) to 8.6 (54)
upset win over Tanunda at
Dutton Park in Saturday’s
Barossa, Light & Gawler
Football Association
A-grade clash.
In a well-deserved 17-point
victory, the Bombers reversed
a 10-goal loss from round one,
in the process pulling equal
with Tanunda in the win column.
Both sides are 5-4 in a tie
for third place.
In near-perfect winter football
conditions on Satuday,
the Bombers won the toss.
Their giant ruckman Aaron
Whistler soared above the
Magpies’ Todd Falkenberg
to claim the first ball-up of
the game, setting the tone and
making it clear his side was
here to play.
Kapunda dominated the
opening minutes, applying
immense pressure in the contest,
with the Pies hardly getting
a touch.
Cam Matters’ accurate
snap for the first major, as
a result of a classy handball
from Brad Valentine,
got the show on the road
early for the Bombers. Valentine
was everywhere, as
was Josh Dodd and Harry
Wuttke.
It took the Pies 15 minutes
to hit the scoreboard,
courtesy of a good snap from
Jackson Doherty against
the run of play. After goals
to dangerous and talented
Kapunda youngsters Aidan
Mudge and Wyatt Ryan
extended the Bombers’
lead, Tanunda scrambled
two late goals to somehow
snatch a one-point lead at the
first change, despite Kapunda
having convincingly won
the term.
Led by playing coach Fraser
Evans and skipper Max
Neville, together with Jacob
Heinze and Lane Curtis, the
Bombers’ defence was virtually
impenetrable.
Leigh Westhoff potted the
Pies only major for the second
term moments before the
half-time siren.
Mudge and Ryan both got
their second goals, and Bailey
Jones, as a result of an inspirational
chase-down tackle,
snagged his first to give
Kapunda a two-goal lead at
the long break.
With major influence
from Whistler, Tyrell Hocking,
Dodd, Wuttke and
a focal point up front in
big Wyatt Ryan, Kapunda
extended its lead out
to four goals at the final
changeover.
The Bombers were well
in control of the match,
winning the majority of the
clearances, harder at the
ball and continually applying
immense pressure on
Tanunda when they gained
possession, again limiting
the Pies to a single major for
the term, courtesy of Justin
Westhoff.
Coach Fraser Evans could
smell it at the last break, telling
his squad “that's three in a
row – just keep driving” and
singling out Josh Dodd for
his effort – Kapunda wasn't
going to let this one slip.
When Ryan marked
strongly and goaled five minutes
into the last quarter, extending
the Bomber lead to
five goals, it appeared to be
game over for the visitors.
To Tanunda’s credit, it responded
with the next three
goals from Josh Trembath,
Justin Westhoff and Bailey
Smith, cutting the margin to
11 points late before bomber
Adam Stribley put the icing
on the cake for Kapunda’s
impressive 17-point win.