LAUNCESTON was held to its lowest score in the Tasmanian State League and one of the lowest in the club's proud history yesterday.
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The Blues managed only one goal for the game against Lauderdale.
The young side showed plenty of effort but struggled to find goals as Lauderdale outworked and outplayed it to record a 12.11 (83) to 1.4 (10) victory.
Full-forward Brennan Savage kicked the Blues' only goal inside the first few minutes of the opening quarter and they failed to add to that for the remainder of the game against the Southern Bombers, who were strong defensively and created plenty of run and spread from half-back.
Lauderdale dominated the stoppages and clearances and was better at linking up by hand and foot as players ran the lines and delivered the ball to their forwards.
Full-forward Ben Halton showed his value to the club as a recruit from the SFL this season when he booted three goals and provided a strong marking presence up forward along with Michael Cassidy.
The Bombers had plenty of ball winners and contributors through the midfield and more options inside 50, with nine individual goal kickers including three to crumber Dylan Fyfe.
Lauderdale coach Darren Winter was happy with the display and the way his side responded after last week's loss to Western Storm.
Winter said his players had been strong at the contested footy and he liked the way they had moved the ball out of the packs.
``We were good and defended well for most of the game and to keep them to one goal was outstanding by the boys,'' he said.
``We used the ball well and linked up well through the middle of the ground and it was evenly spread across the board, with everyone taking a turn in carrying the load at different stages.
``Young Zac Plant did a really good job and tackled well and got the hard ball and then got on the end of the free-running ball.''
It was a sombre mood in the Launceston changerooms, with coach Scott Stephens spending some time speaking to his young side after the game.
The Blues were one-dimensional in attack, relying on Savage as the main target and Stephens admitted they need to find a more even spread of goal kickers.
``I was extremely disappointed and it's an effort or attitude thing - it's not fitness and it's not skill level, it just doesn't desert you,'' Stephens said.
``They put a lot of pressure on our ball user but we need to get better at being able to hit targets under pressure.
``At the moment our skill level under pressure has folded the last two weeks and it needs to improve sharply and very quickly.''
``The stats will show we had more football than them and obviously we're young and developing, but we need to make clearer and quicker decisions when the pressure is on.''
Lauderdale had plenty of ball winners with Plant, Kaine Waller, Bryce Walsh and Thor Boscott all playing well along with Halton and Matthew Smith.
Joe Groenewegen, Beau Green, Jordan Harris and Casey Reissig battled hard for the Blues.LAUDERDALE 12.11 (83)
LAUNCESTON 1.4 (10)