THE Rural Bank Bendigo Pioneers were left to lament a poor second quarter in their TAC Cup loss to the Greater Western Victoria Rebels at the QEO on Sunday.

The Rebels denied the Pioneers consecutive victories as they won 12.11 (83) to 9.4 (58), gaining the upper hand during the second term when they added 5.2 to 1.0 to turn what had been a 10-point deficit into a 16-point advantage at the main break.

“They probably won the game in the second quarter when we were quite poor and they were able to gap us,” Pioneers coach Rick Coburn said.

“We started the game really well with our ball movement and the way we set up the field, but in the second quarter it was the opposite and they really opened us up.”

As well as the second quarter lapse, the Pioneers also battled to curtail the influence of Rebels’ forward Charlie Wilson, who kicked six goals.

Skipper Jacob Atley in defence, on-baller Hunter Lawrence (three goals) and fellow midfielder Thomson Dow were among the standouts for the Pioneers, who in what has been a season of interruptions have another rest next weekend as part of the split round.

The 25-point defeat to the Rebels leaves the Pioneers with a 2-9 record.

Pioneers goals – H. Lawrence 3, B. Vaz 2, F. Perez,  B. Kemp, B. Worme 1.

Pioneers best – J. Atley, T. Dow, R. Ironside, J. McHale, H. Lawrence, W. Wallace.

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