In the headline first grade fixture, the Blue Heelers mustered a two-point win, prevailing against the Bulldogs 30-28. 

Tempers flared near the finish of the first half with the makings of a brawl set to erupt as the whistle blew on the first half. 

The Bulldogs had landed a try on the Bombala fringes and both sides were becoming increasingly frustrated with the hard-running physical nature of the game. 

As tensions cooled, Corey Schafer slotted the conversion and the Bulldogs levelled the odds 12-12 at the break.

Bombala club president Colin Ryan said a hard-fought game was a better experience for fans. 

“It was close the whole way and could have gone either way.

“We just got there in a good, hard game and [that is] much better than a one sided affair.”

He commended the Bulldogs on their fast, but potent youthful line-up. 

The speed was where the Bulldogs struck on the day with a hat-trick to winger Jake Mikula, while zippy fullback Kyle Shepherdson also made his presence felt. 

The John Aldridge pick-up has also improved the Bulldogs attacking ability from range with the former Eden half an accurate and decisive kicker. 

It was an Aldridge bomb from about 20-metres out that sparked the Bulldogs attack with Mikula nabbing the ball mid-air and planting the Dogs’ first try after Bombala had already found the try-line earlier. 

The big Bombala line-up began to muscle up in the second half as both teams traded tries with Merimbula-Pambula holding the edge 28-24 late into the piece. 

However, the Blue Heelers found the try line once more through fullback Alex Rosten and a successful conversion sealed the two point buffer for the visitors. 

Bulldogs coach Nathan Heffernan will be drilling down on the importance of winning home games as the Bulldogs have now coughed up two early results in hard-fought contests. 

Earlier, the Eden-Mer-Pam women’s combine had lost to the Bombala High Heelers 10-6, but were resplendent in a second encounter on the day, thumping the Tathra Phoenix 74-0. 

Tamika Millard starred for the home side in the second match-up, while the Tigerettes in general ran rampant over their Tathra opponents. 

The reserve grade Bulldogs also carded a win over Tathra 40-4 after leading 18-4 at the break. 

Tathra hooker James McMillan was binned for 10 early in the second half leaving his team short on defense as the Bulldogs rallied to pile on second half points.  Matt Evelyn led the second half onslaught with a pair of tries, while fullback Dylan Fletcher had been a standout to score a hat-trick. The Bulldogs play the Roosters in Bega on Saturday.