Famous trio spark Bombers win

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YOU would like to know how often over the years a Daniher has a produced a moment of inspiration to spark Essendon into action.

Or a Watson has kicked the matchwinning goal. Or a Fletcher has held the team together with his composure in the back half.

This eight-point win was another to add to the ledger. Unlike most, though, it was not one punctuated by free-flowing moments of brilliance.

Daniher's moment was not a towering mark or a booming goal. Rather, with the Dons desperately needing to find some momentum early in the third quarter, after a flat and listless opening half, it was the young full-forward who lit the fuse.

Michael Hurley takes a mark in the fourth quarter over Western Bulldogs' Stewart Crameri Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: News Corp Australia

With the Bombers trailing by 13 points he came charging through the centre square like a young colt released from the paddock. Gathering the ball cleanly he swept a long handball back into the corridor, where Jobe Watson accepted it without breaking stride and delivered a long pass into the path of Jason Winderlich. The ensuing goal proved the moment when the Bombers wrested momentum from the Dogs, and began to engulf them like the inevitable incoming tide.

Brent Stanton celebrates his goal in the third quarter. Picture : George Salpigtidis Source: News Corp Australia

The tenacious Dogs hung in grimly until the end, but it was a goal from Jobe Watson that eventually took the game away from them. Watson, who was superbly contained and overshadowed by Tom Liberatore, found himself resting in the forward line midway through the final term when a long kick was headed Daniher's way. While Dale Morris and Luke Dalhaus flew to spoil, Watson worked his way to the front, gathered the crumb and set off on a bouncing run into an open goal, essentially icing the game.

Paul Chapman marks over Jake Stringer. Pic: Michael Klein. Source: News Corp Australia

Fletcher, four days short of his 39th birthday, was part of the reason the Dons were even in the contest at half time. Time and again he read the play and took intercepting mark to repel Bulldogs attacks. His cool distribution was vital, as others around him chose poor options that got the ball into opposition hands. Were it not for the likes of Fletcher and fellow defenders Michael Hibberd, Dyson Heppell and Cale Hooker the Dons might have been in awful shape at the long break.

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The remarkable part is that 11 minutes into the match Essendon had three unanswered goals on the scoreboard. It was dominating the contested ball and slicing open the game with quick play-on disposal through the centre corridor.

But, damningly, for the remainder of the opening half the Bombers managed just four behinds.

The Bulldogs tightened up, cut out Essendon's overlap running and clawed their way back into the contest by forcing the Bombers to cough up the ball.

Liam Picken up close and personal with Essendon's Brent Stanton Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: News Corp Australia

The Dogs' first three goals were the direct result of turnovers: one caused at centre-half-back, the next shoving Brendon Goddard into an out-of-bounds on the full in the back pocket and the third intercepting a Courtenay Dempsey pass.

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The Bombers had players down on form everywhere in the opening half. In a rare off day, Watson was struggling to have an impact, Goddard looked rusty, while Winderlich and Brent Stanton could not shake the attention of Easton Wood and Liam Picken respectively.

Jake Carlisle, who opened the match at centre-half-forward on unexpected opponent in Jake Stringer, was working hard enough but still looked down on confidence.

Brendon Goddard made a timely return from injury. Picture: Michael Klein. Source: News Corp Australia

However it was the senior players who lifted when the match was won in the third quarter: Watson, Paul Chapman, Heppell and Stanton all kicked vital goals when the surge was on.

The Bulldogs' grunt credentials have never been in question, but it was the silky play of their pups that helped them look at times capable of running away with this match. Unfortunately two perennial problems, a lack of class in the key posts and a costly lapse — where they conceded six of the eight goals in the third quarter — again cost them victory.

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