With North Wagga beaten at Coleambally, the Bombers are a win and percentage clear at the top of the ladder.

But coach Shane Lenon wasn’t getting carried away after a fourth-quarter fade saw the Hawks kick four goals in five minutes. 

Marrar went from 41-point leaders to within three kicks of losing with a couple of minutes still to play, but held on for a 14.9. (93) to 11.8 (74) win. 

“Our effort and pressure around the footy for the first three quarters was really good,” Lenon said.

“But the last quarter we just switched off. It put a dampener on the first three quarters really.”

In a season in which lapses have been severely punished, the Bombers might count themselves lucky they copped a lesson without it costing four points.

Lenon didn’t ever think the win was in doubt but was keen to hammer home the hard truths.

“I don’t look at results when I’m judging footy and the last quarter wasn’t up to speed, to be honest,” he said.

“At this time of year you want to be building momentum and that’s what made the last quarter disappointing. We had a bit of momentum and we just dropped off so it’s something we’ve got to get better at.”

In contrast to their finish, the Bombers started superbly. Coming off the bye, they booted the first four goals inside 13 minutes to have the Hawks on the back foot. 

But the visitors recovered, kicking the next four goals to close to within two points early in an even second quarter. 

Marrar’s Brad Turner provided the first half highlight with a screamer held for just long enough to be paid.

The letdown of missing the shot was allayed by a 50-metre penalty for over the mark which was crucial in the Bombers taking a seven-point lead to half-time.

With some good fortune helping them maintain momentum, they put the game out of reach in the third quarter, piling on 33 points to three.

Turner kicked his second after another classy grab, but two of their five goals were gifts from another 50-metre penalty and a deliberate rushed behind.

A worrying knee injury to full-back Tim Smith made it a quarter to forget for the Hawks.

But they came out and made a game of it in the fourth, kicking the first goal and then the last four to show they've got enough to make sure the top sides are looking over their shoulder.

James Hodges and Joe Scott both had big games for the Hawks, whose percentage still has them in fifth ahead of the Jets and CSU. 

For the Bombers, Nick Molkentin and Turner were hard to stop forward, pulling in at least half-a-dozen marks each. 

And Turner tested his ribs out crashing a pack as well as throwing his whole body into a shepherd on Tom Pocock.

But their best performance was arguably in the ruck.

“Matty Parks was outstanding,” Lenon said.

“Hull still played well, he’s always going to play well, but Matty Parks won his fair share of the contests and his second and third efforts at ground level were good. He had a really good game. He’s developing into a pretty good ruckman.”

The Bombers take on the Bushpigs next week while the Hawks are at home to Barellan.