Australian Football

Match Report

Essendon has recorded a remarkable come-from-behind win, its second this year in Subiaco, to defeat West Coast in an exciting Friday night game in front of more than 36,000 fans. After jumping away to an early 18-point lead, the Bombers were pegged back by the Eagles before West Coast looked to take complete control in the third quarter, leading the Bombers by as much as 23 points at the 30-minute mark of that term.

But a snap from Jake Carlisle just before the three-quarter time siren gave the Bombers some hope at the last break, and when skipper Jobe Watson, who had been the subject of boos from the Eagles throughout the match after admitting earlier in the week that he had been injected with the drug AOD, goaled in the first minute of the last quarter, the Bombers found renewed hope.

An arm-wrestle over the next 10 minutes saw the two sides exchange only behinds before a free to Alwyn Davey saw the Eagles' lead cut to just six points at the 10-minute mark. Essendon continued to press forward and when Brendon Goddard received a free for a push in the back at the 14-minute mark, his resultant goal saw the Bombers take a one-point lead.

The Eagles came again with a mark and goal to Mark LeCras but Jake Carlisle tied things up with a 50-metre bomb from the boundary. A Jake Melksham behind gave the Dons a one-point lead before Dyson Heppell sealed the deal for Essendon with a soccer goal at the 29-minute mark.

It was another triumph over adversity for Essendon, after the club endured another week in the spotlight with continuing speculation over the probe into its alleged drug use and the potential consequential penalties. The win keeps the Bombers in third place, two points clear of Sydney and Fremantle.

The loss was a one the Eagles could ill-afford, and they now find themselves two games out of the top eight, with tough matches to come against Adelaide, Fremantle and Sydney. Essendon faces a mixed bag over the coming month, with winnable games against the Western Bulldogs and GWS bookended by tough matches against Port Adelaide and Hawthorn.

GOALS
West Coast: Darling, LeCras 3; Dalziell, Kennedy 2; Kerr, Priddis, Cox
Essendon: Winderlich 3; Watson, Carlisle, Davey 2; Merrett, Ryder, Dempsey, Crameri , Goddard, Heppell.

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
West Coast: Priddis, Dalziell, Cox, Kennedy, Masten, LeCras
Essendon: Watson, Stanton, Carlisle, Zaharakis, Winderlich, Dempsey

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: Priddis, Cox, Darling, Dalzeill, Masten, Glass, Gaff
Essendon: Watson, Carlisle, Ryder, Winderlich, Dempsey, Melksham, Hooker

COACHES' COMMENTS
John Worsfold (WCo): There were a couple of crucial turnover goals at that point [at the end of the third quarter and at the start of the last quarter]. Probably in the clearances Essendon got on top a little bit in the last quarter. It's hard to say if that's a fatigue thing or not. We've got to get more skilful, it's a pretty basic equation.

James Hird (Ess): We hadn't beaten West Coast here since 2001, so it's been a long time for us. But we like playing here; we've got a lot of supporters here and we've got a lot of Western Australian boys [in the team] so coming over here doesn't hold any fears for us. For our boys to be 20-odd points down and come back was great to see.

INJURIES
West Coast: Shuey (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Schofield
Essendon: Crameri (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Simon Tunbridge replaced Brad Sheppard in last quarter
Essendon: David Myers replaced Tom Bellchambers in third quarter

UMPIRES: Margetts, Kamolins, Chamberlain