THE Bendigo Bank Bombers withstood a spirited second-half fightback from the Bendigo Football League All-Stars to win last night’s football clash on the QEO.In a historic clash, Bendigo Footy united to raise funds for the Bushfire Appeal.There were many encouraging signs for the Adrian Hickmott-coached Bombers in the 12.11 (83) to 9.5 (59) victory.The Bombers raced to a 39-nil lead in just over 18 minutes as it dominated every line.The slick running, precise disposal and strong tackling was in stark contrast to the BFL line-up which made many errors.A winner of the BFL Rising Star award when he played for Sandhurst, Simon Weekley was in superb form in the opening quarter.A first-year player with the Bombers, Weekley led and marked strongly. By quarter-time he had kicked two goals, while teammates Ky Miller, Troy Coates, Michael Still and Stacy Fiske were also on target.Sole goal for the BFL was kicked by Steven Oliver, a great for many seasons with Castlemaine and now the league’s CEO, when he marked Lee Coghlan’s high kick.The Derrick Filo-coached BFL lifted its intensity in the second, but missed several shots on goal, and the Bombers were just as wasteful in attack.Blair Holmes’ strong tackle on the grandstand wing was capped with a Brent Chapman goal, while Weekley was on the end of a pass from the classy Paul Scanlon to kick his third.Lee Coghlan goaled from the swimming pool pocket just on half-time.The BFL did all the attacking in the third quarter.Suddenly passes began to hit targets and the Bombers defence, which had been led by superbly by Tyson Slattery in the first half, was under pressure.A Justin Maddern goal was folloed by Darren Farrugia being on target as the margin was brought under five goals.The key target near goal, Oliver marked Grant Ford’s long kick from near the wing and goaled.After being held to just two goals in a half, the BFL had booted three goals in nine minutes.A star in Gisborne’s premiership-winning run, Ollie Messaoudi teamed superbly with Eaglehawk ruck-rover and last year’s Michelsen medallist, Shannon Milward, to set up a lot of attacks.Lining up against a club he represented last year, Ford was a driving force in attack again as his pass was marked by Shaun Bergin for another goal.The Bombers had to lift and did so.Kade Klemke was on target, and then Dash Barrolli showed it’s just not pace that is a strength of his game, but also his leap as he soared to win a marking contest in the goalsquare.The Bombers led 69-40 as the final quarter began.Weekley showed he will be a great asset to the Bombers’ attack this season by kicking his fourth goal.The BFL refused to give up and was rewarded with goals by Maddern from a tight angle in the South Bendigo Football-Netball Club social rooms pocket, before Oliver’s strength was to the fore in another marking contest.Captain of Eaglehawk’s premiership-winning line-up of 2008, Brady Herdman also goaled to put the blue and gold within 18 points.Essendon’s Irish recruit Michael Quinn broke clear of a contest in midfield and kicked the final goal of the contest on the run.The red and black will be back on the QEO this Friday night when Essendon takes on North Melbourne in the NAB Challenge Cup match from 6.30pm.The Bendigo Bombers head to Carlton’s Princes Park on Carlton for a practice match against the Northern Bullants.