General News
3 August, 2023
Standing tall, Laird drives home hard win
THE dominance of coach Justin Laird proved a major difference when Bears Lagoon Serpentine thwarted comeback attempts by Bridgewater. A dominant first half had given the Bears a 23-point buffer at the main break. The game was still to be won and the...
THE dominance of coach Justin Laird proved a major difference when Bears Lagoon Serpentine thwarted comeback attempts by Bridgewater.
A dominant first half had given the Bears a 23-point buffer at the main break.
The game was still to be won and the characteristic never-say-die style of play from Bridgewater kept the contest alive for most of the next hour.
The Mean Machine brought the margin back to less than three goals, only to see the Bears respond to every forward drive with a hardened attitude and stronger commitment to win the ball.
And leading by example was Laird. One minute he was winning centre knocks, next at boundary throw-ins and still finding space to win the hard ball and send his Bears deep forward.
Laird set up a crucial goal from James Bailey mid-way through the final term after earlier brushing past Bridgewater defenders to score one of his own two goals for the day.
James Rippendale finished with four goals, one capping off a dynamic passage started by best-on-ground Harry Gadsden who went deep to Andrew Gladman before a chip to the new recruit at Serpentine.
Charlton Hindle and Tyler Estrada vital Bridgewater contributors in the final quarter, particularly when the Mean Machine’s half-back line lifted mid-term.
The final minutes showed how physical this clash had been - players exhausted and some cramping in an encounter that was closer than the 24 points on the scoreboard.