WHAT A COMEBACK

They were staring at another loss early in the third term when Rochester kicked two quick goals to establish a match-high five-goal break which looked a match-winning lead in a dourly-fought contest.

But the young Bombers then lifted a cog or two and produced a character-filled comeback to be finally rewarded with a two-point win — 9.13 to 9.11 – in a stirring finish.

Kyabram hit the front with a few minutes remaining when hard-nut defender Jake Parkinson drifted forward, marked and slotted the winning goal.

The Bombers then had to defend grimly in the dying minutes to secure the well-deserved win.

The ball was deep in Rochester’s forward line when the final siren sounded, rewarding the new-look Bombers with the fighting victory.

That last goal was only the second time Kyabram was in front in the game after scoring the first major of the contest.

Bombers co-coach Corey Carver was again full of praise for his young charges and their never-say-die attitude.

‘‘To do what they did considering how young the side is is really pleasing. They were terrific,’’ Carver said.

Rochester had the edge in the second and early in the third term before the Bombers mounted their winning comeback and wrested back the momentum for the remainder of the game.

The turnaround was fired by on-ballers, agile ruck recruit Cameron Khoo, Josh Dillon, Liam Ogden and Kaine Herbert, but most of their teammates lifted with them.

Acting skipper Dillon has made a great start to the season, again leading from the front with his inspirational play.

Lachie Smith and Jake Parkinson held the Kyabram defence together with solid support from Mitch Dodos and Jake Torney with Smith’s trademark intercept marking making him the most influential player on the field over the coarse of the game.

Classy Anthony Depasquale was the pick of the forwards with his four goals telling in the final wash-up and Brad Mangan was able to slot vital goals when needed.

Teenager Nic Jephson also showed he was a young player with a big future, although not as prominent as in the opening round, while Moama recruit Khy Stovell, Charlie Barnett and Bohden Learmonth showed out at times.

Rochester had good players in Dylan Gordon, Mitchell Trewhella and Matt Kellett, while Wil Hamilton and Adam McPhee also worked hard.

It was interesting to note there were 10 new faces in this Kyabram team that didn’t play in last season’s grand final side.

Senior players who missed on Saturday night were skipper Zac Norris (shoulder), Morrison medallist Mick Mattingly (quad), Eammon Ogden (unavailable), defenders Jason Morgan (hamstring) and Brad Whitford (knee), Aidan Robinson (ankle), Queensland recruit Bailey Tome (required by Northern Bullants) and Bendigo Pioneer Archie Watt (Coates League country squad training).

Ogden will return and Mattingly is a chance to line-up against Euroa in another night game at Kyabram this Saturday, but the rest are all expected to miss, some weeks away from a return.

· Kyabram reserves suffered a 30-point loss after a late fadeout.

The Bombers were only four points down at the last change, but got run over in the last term with Rochester kicking 4.3 to 0.3.

The injury-hit Bombers had to promote Oscar Dixon, Tyler Norman and Shaun and Jack Doolan from the thirds to make up numbers, so it was a spirited losing effort in the circumstances.

Norman was one of only three goal-kickers on the day for the team, while Liam Dillon kicked two of the four goals Kyabram scored in the game.

The Bombers got a tireless game again from ruckman Jayden Fitzgerald.

Oskar Shortis and David Coulthard defended grimly all game and on-ballers Steve Drake and Miller Griffiths also had an impact.

· Kyabram thirds found Rochester a little too strong, going down by 20 points.

The home side got a break in the second term when it kicked 4.0 to 2.1 and defended it for the rest of the game.

Co-coach Peter Ryan said his Bombers didn’t capitalise on their chances, but had used the ball better than the previous week.

‘‘The boys certainly had a crack,’’ Ryan said.

The Bombers had their best players in on-ballers Tyler Norman and midfielders Hunter Fawcett and smooth-moving left-footer Nick Smart.

Oscar Dixon led the defence determinedly and up forward Josh Francis, Hamish Stewart and Danny Miller presented at every opportunity.

Under-16 player Charlie Isaac was also able to lockdown Rochester’s Tobie Woodfine, who kicked five of six goals early in the game.

Lachie Carver also worked hard in the midfield to try and keep Kyabram in the game.