Rick Drewer

THE Willaston Donnybrooks travelled the Thiele Highway to take on the Kapunda Bombers on its home deck at Dutton Park – and literally came within a fingertip of taking home the premiership points.
Played in cold, wintery conditions, Kapunda, having won the toss, had the opening goal on the board within the first three minutes, courtesy of Hayden Robinson.
The featured ruck contest between the Bombers’ Aaron Whistler and the Donny's Ray Smith came to an abrupt end with Smith limping from the ground, with what looked a serious leg injury, halfway through the first term. This left Whistler to dominate the ball-ups throughout the game, and Willaston, in its first game since the departure of coach Shaun Baker, scrambling for a replacement.
The first term belonged entirely to the Bombers, with Whistler, Brad Williams, Josh Freeman and Josh Dodd all on fire, and the club’s leading goal-kicker Justin Zanandrea snagging two goals.
Brayden Coombs replied after he snapped truly out of a pack to register the Donny's much needed first major, right on the first quarter siren. The 8-1 scoring shot differential accurately reflected the Bombers’ dominance.
Bombers’ playing coach, Fraser Evans, set a fine example in accountability, while Zanandrea slotted another two, bringing his tally to four of Kapunda's five first-half goals.
The lacklustre Donnybrook first-half effort certainly wasn't to be blamed on Tyson Irlam, Zac East, Harrison Elbrow and Brodie Cormack who all worked tirelessly to keep their side in the game, as both sides added 2.3 to the scoreboard, for the Bombers to take a 17-point lead into the long break.
When Bomber, Freeman converted, the result of a high free, extending the lead to 23 points, early in the third term, the Donny's looked to be in more strife than the early settlers. Whether Kapunda put the cue in the rack, or Willaston realised the dire situation, the side responded with the next three goals from Michael Clinch, and two from Michael Howson, while restricting Kapunda to one point to reduce the deficit to four points at the final change.
The arm-wrestle was eventually broken at the 10-minute mark when Donnybrook Trent Rozman marked at half-forward and confidently converted to give Willaston a four-point buffer.
The Bombers had not scored since half-way through the third term, and when Harrison Elbrow received the tap from the throw-in and converted, giving the Donnybrooks an 11-point lead, it appeared Kapunda was done.
It was not the case.
Harry Wuttke's long-shot goal and Josh Dodd’s late major, at the 26-minute mark, saw Kapunda snatch back a two-point lead right at the death.
With just seconds remaining, Willaston's Michael Howson, having already kicked two marvellous goals, marked well within kicking distance – and as he walked back to his mark, the final siren sounded.
Unbelievably, his shot for goal sailed through, but it was touched by the man-on-the-mark, thus preventing the goal and handing Kapunda a one-point victory 8.10 (58) to 8.9 (57).