The Pioneers kicked just two goals from 18 scoring shots in a 38-point loss to the Geelong Falcons at the QEO.

The Falcons handled the tricky breeze far better than the home side, looked the stronger team all game and won convincingly 9.12 (66) to 2.16 (28).

"From the first bounce Geelong wanted it so much more than us,'' Pioneers' coach Danny O'Bree said.

"I thought we responded well, but we squandered too many chances. Credit to Geelong, they made us panic with the footy. We couldn't get our ball movement going at all."

Geelong kicked with the breeze in the first quarter and the Pioneers' defence did well to restrict the visitors to two goals.

When the Pioneers had the ball they lacked connectivity and turned the ball over and they were scoreless until the eighth minute of the second term when a Sam Conforti kick from 65m out bounced through for a behind.

One minute later Harvey Gallagher finally broke the drought for Bendigo when his set shot from 50m out sailed through.

With the aid of the breeze, the Pioneers couldn't hurt the Falcons on the scoreboard.

They had five more shots on goal for the term for four behinds and one out of bounds on the full.

The Falcons kicked one goal against the breeze to take a 12-point lead into the main break.

After Geelong kicked the first goal of the third term, the Pioneers had a strong patch of play against the breeze for five minutes.

However, they missed two opportunities to kick goals and the Falcons responded with two goals in two minutes to open up a 28-point lead.

The margin grew to more than five goals before Pioneers' midfielder/forward Hugh Hamilton kicked truly on the run to reduce the margin to 27 points at the last change.

The Pioneers had to make a strong start to the final term to have any chance of reeling in the Falcons.

In general play, they did just that, but their first three shots at goal resulted in two behinds and an out of bounds on the full.

The Pioneers' resistance was broken when the Falcons kicked truly against the breeze.

With their rotations limited in the final term because of injuries, the Pioneers were forced to defend for much of the latter stages of the match.

Midfielder Jack Hickman was best for the Pioneers, while Sam Conforti, who largely played in defence, won plenty of the ball for the home side.

Defender Tom Bennett, first-gamer Tim Hosking and the hard-working Cooper Smith did their best to keep the Pioneers in the game.

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