The Bombers have had some close games recently, 4-3 win v Storm followed by a 3-4 loss to the Coffs Tigers, they know how to fight and that’s how it was throughout this game no time on the ball constant pressure but the Raiders handle those conditions better than most. It took all of 23 minutes to crack the Bombers defence.

A right side move with a ball to Jake Leslie who skated around a clumsy tackle, Leslie firing in a flat cross that Ben Dooley hit first time with venom, Bombers keeper Jake Stitt left to fend off the shot which fell to Leslie the architect of the move to thump in the Raiders 1st goal for the afternoon. It was coming, too much possession for the Raiders and they had the Bombers squarely on the back foot Stitt had pulled off some good saves but not this time.

Enter Matsuda Naomichi the Bombers top goal scorer, blistering speed, great control and on 35 minutes evened the scores after his excellent run onto a chipped ball had the Raiders defence guessing and ended with the Bombers first goal of the afternoon. Yes Naomichi able to do what only 6 others have done so far this season, score against the Raiders. It was a high point for the Bombers and really didn’t get any better than that. Ben Dooley next on the scoresheet after threading through some would be challenges to shoot from the top of the box, Stitt able to block the first strike that but left a bystanders as Dooley advanced to stroke in the Raiders second. To make things worse the Bombers conceded a penalty in the shadows of halftime. They’d been under some pressure and a careless challenge on the red beard aka Jai Waddick left the referee little option but to point to the spot. Kale Hopper stepped up and scored the Raiders third advancing the score-line to 3-1 at the break.

The ‘bad boy’ Brady Parker coach of the Bombers  had left himself and brother Wade Parker on the bench fresh for the second half perhaps new legs or a different view of things. Didn’t really have the desired effect and the Raider defence handled most attacks. It was the final few minutes that produced some drama though first via Wade Parker a thumping shot from range had the Bombers with a sniff of an unlikely draw at 3-2.

It was the Raiders 4th goal that had the crowd on their feet. He doesn’t score many goals but Paul Pomroy won’t forget this one for some time. Pomroy positioned on the far post seemingly marked as the corner delivered by Ezra Malcisi floated over the Bomber defenders who were crowding the front post leaving Pomroy to punch in an unchallenged header that left Stitt in situ. It produced the final scoreline of 4-2 and left the Raider faithful buzzing.

In other results the mens reserve grade went down 2-0, the Raiders U/17s 3-2 winners over Coffs, the Raiders womens 1st grade went down 1-0 to Grafton Sirens, womens ressies 5-0 up. So this weekend the men are at Maclean Saturday 3pm, the women at Woolgoolga at 3pm on Sat as well.