Australian Football

Match Report

A new coach brought a much better performance from Essendon against Gold Coast at Carrara on Saturday but ultimately another loss as the Dons went down to the Suns by a heartbreaking two points. A snapshot on the siren from Bomber Jake Carlisle would have given Essendon victory but the kick sailed to the right of the goalpost as Gold Coast hung on for a thrilling win.

With James Hird having stepped down as coach in the days leading up to the match, assistant Matthew Egan stepped in as caretaker, and his charges were competitive from the very beginning of the game. After Sam Day opened proceedings with a goal for the Suns, Dyson Heppell and Cale Hooker gave the Dons a six-point lead with majors at the three and five-minute marks. Tom Lynch and Harley Bennell followed up with goals for the Suns but a brace from Jayden Laverde and Hooker saw the Bombers lead by five at the 24-minute mark. Bennell and Lynch got in on the act agains at the end of the quarter, though, and their second goals gave Gold Coast an eight-point quarter-time lead.

Jack Martin extended the Suns' lead to 14 with a goal early in the second term but Essendon then got right on top with majors to Courtenay Dempsey, Shaun McKernan and Heppell giving the Dons a six-point advantage. But the Suns hit back with the next three goals, including another two to Martin, to take a 10-point lead into the main break.

A snapshot from Shaun Mckernan cute the difference to five points six minutes into the third term, but Matt Shaw answered for the Suns two minutes later. Dempsey's second reduced the margin to five again at the 11-minute mark but Luke Russell and Shaw again goaled as Gold Coast jumped out to a three-goal lead early in time on. But the Bombers kept coming and a third goal each to McKernan and Heppell had them within a goal at three-quarter time. 

The exquisitely named Orazio Fantasia gave the Dons a great start to the final term with his blistering run and long goal levelling the scores inside the first minute. Both sides had chances over the next 20 minutes but Essendon could only manage three behinds while the Suns added 2.4 - the goals going to Lynch and Nick Malceski - to lead by 13 points. But the Dons kept coming and majors to Hooker and Fantasia saw the margin reduced to three before Carlisle's last instant snap saw the Bombers fall agonisingly short of a fairytale win. 

Lynch was a key for the Suns with his three goals, while Michael Rischitelli (23 possessions, six tackles) was also important. For the Bombers, McKernan (nine marks, 26 hitouts) and Heppell (25 touches, three goals) were outstanding.

Both sides will look for at least one win in their last two matches of 2015, the Suns to play Port Adelaide at home and Sydney at the MCG and Essendon to meet Richmond and then Collingwood at the MCG.

GOALS
Gold Coast: Martin, Lynch 3; Bennell, Shaw 2; Russell, Malceski, Hall, Day
Essendon: Hooker, McKernan, Heppell 3; Fantasia, Dempsey 2; Laverde

BEST - BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Lynch, Rischitelli, Martin, Kolodjashnij, Bennell, Hall
Essendon: McKernan, Heppell, Zaharakis, Hurley, Stanton, O'Brien

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Lynch, Rischitelli, Martin, Kolodjashnij, Hall, Lonergan
Essendon: McKernan, Heppell, Stanton, Hooker, Hurley, O'Brien

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Day (neck)
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Josh Hall replaced Sam Day at three-quarter time.
Essendon: Orazio Fantasia replaced Joe Daniher in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: O'Gorman, Chamberlain, Edwards

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jason Dunstall, Jonathan Brown, Ben Dixon