The Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers TAC Cup losing streak against the Murray Bushrangers has continued after they were handed a 57-point defeat in Shepparton on Friday.
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The Bushrangers have dominated the Pioneers since May 23, 2004, when the then Rod MacPherson-coached Pioneers defeated Murray by five goals.
For the first half of Friday's clash at Deakin Reserve it appeared as though the Pioneers were a chance to break the 14-year drought, but the home side put the game away in the third term.
The Bushrangers led by just 10 points at the main break before adding 8.9 to 1.4 in the second half to win comfortably 14.15 (99) to 5.12 (42).
The Pioneers were left to lament some missed opportunities in the first half.
Both teams had 12 scoring shots in the first half and the Pioneers could have put the Bushrangers under more scoreboard pressure.
It wasn't to be the case and after the main break the Bushrangers' wore down Bendigo.
Vice-captain Noah Wheeler was the Pioneers' best player, while rookie Flynn Perez showed plenty of class off half-back.
Jye Caldwell showed why he's so highly-rated with a solid performance in the midfield.
Liam Marciano, KObe Lloyd and Riley Ironside also played well.
Bailey Henderson, Mitch Goodwin, Zac Denahy, Caldwell and Ironside were the goalkickers for Bendigo.
The result left the Pioneers with a 1-1 record ahead of their round three clash with the Gippsland Power at the QEO on April 7.
The match is the first of three in a TAC Cup triple-header at the QEO.
Meanwhile, the Pioneers’ TAC Cup girls squad is at home to Eastern at Epsom on Tuesday.
The Pioneers’ team is:
B: 3. C. Isaac, 32. S. Reilly, 14. O. Taverna
HB: 24. E. Gretgrix, 20. K. Douglass, 25. T. Stewart
C: 11. J. Finning, 28. M. Williamson, 21. H. Spencer
HF: 30. B. Heiden, 8. S. Knoll, 26. L. Newton
F: 27. B. Hards, 7. G. Barton, 1. M. Tupper
R: 9. D. Kelly-Guthrie, 19. K. Jacques, 2. M. Baldwin
Int: A. Bodilly, 15. T. Goodrem, 29. E. Snell, 5. E. Turnbull
In: A. Bodilly, E. Snell, E. Gretgrix, S. Knoll, G. Barton, L. Newton, H. Spencer
Out: E. Cooper, S. Kerridge , T. Coad, G. Murrell, M. Ward, G. Sladden, I. Gould
