Bomber fans would be extremely disappointed tonight after Essendon went down to traditional rivals Carlton at the MCG by 11-points. It was a struggle all night with the lead changing many times. Just when one team looked like running away with the game, the other would answer the challenge. Both teams were desperate for the four points and the game had the intensity similar to that of a cut-throat final. Both sides wouldn’t lie down but it was Carlton in the end that finally ran over the top of Essendon.
There was no sign of the rain in the first three quarters that earlier in the day looked like jeopardising the standard of the match. The skill level was definitely not hindered until the rain came in the final term. One of the light towers unexpectedly turned off mid-way through the final quarter and took with it the Bombers. Scores were level until Carlton kicked two crucial goals late in the quarter that sealed the match. A late goal from Dean Rioli still wasn’t enough to get Essendon across the line.
Carlton started and ended the first quarter like a team on a mission. They did all the attacking in the opening minutes and were rewarded with three quick goals. Similar to last week against Melbourne, Essendon started the match slowly and took close to five minutes to settle. Once the Bombers found their straps they answered Carlton’s early challenge kicking the next three goals.
Scott Lucas again proved that long goals can be scored to the ex-Ponsford end of the ground – he kicked the Bombers’ first from 45m out. Rioli showed great poise and sheer class when he booted the Bombers second goal of the term after he pounced on the loose ball at 50m, proceeded to dance around two Carlton defenders and then finished his good work with a goal on the run from 45m out. James Hird then brought the Bombers’ within four points of the Blues after he goaled from a standing start.
The coaching panel continued to rotate the Essendon mid-field. Jason Johnson, Adam Ramanauskas and Rioli all started in the centre and were interchanged with Joe Misiti, Damien Peverill and Hird throughout the quarter. Dean Solomon was again dominant and easily the Bombers best for the quarter. He attacked the ball with sheer determination and courage and was unmatched across half-back and on the wing. Hird moved well early and clocked up 10 possessions for the term. Despite wearing thigh pads he showed no signs of the corked thigh that ended his game in the first quarter of last week.
Brendan Fevola kept Dustin Fletcher busy up forward. The All Australian fullback had his hands full with the 22-year-old who kicked two goals for the quarter. Fevola gave the Blues an 11-point advantage heading into the first break after he goaled from a free kick awarded against Fletcher.
Carlton kicked the first goal of the second quarter in the opening minutes and it was all black and red after that. Hird led the charge on Carlton in the second term. He continued his first quarter dominance and was back to his brilliant best in the middle. The skipper showed no signs of needing an early retirement.
Matthew Lloyd came into the match and kicked two for the quarter. Instead of defending goals Mark Johnson and Solomon were kicking them. Ramanauskas was damaging in the centre with his pace and also chipped in for one goal. Rioli was also busy helping Hird and Ramanauskas in the middle and continued his consistent start to the season. He added another goal to his statistics to give him two for the match.
Fevola proved to be the only positive for Carlton for the quarter. He finished the quarter with a brilliant goal from outside 50m on a tight angle to bring his team within 15-points of the Bombers at the major break.
Denis Pagan must have said something significant at half time to pump up his troops. Carlton came out firing after the main break and kicked three goals within four minutes to give them a three-point lead. After going missing in the first half, Anthony Koutoufides came into the match and gave Carlton first use of the ball in the mid-field. Fevola continued to out play Fletcher kicking his fourth for the match mid-way through the quarter.
Essendon fought back late in the quarter. Damian Cupido contributed his first goal for the night and Andrew Welsh followed suit with a goal from a set-shot to put the Bombers back in the lead. Just when Essendon looked like having Carlton’s measure, the Blues immediately answered with a goal late in the quarter to give them a two-point lead. No goals were scored in the final ten minutes of the term – the ball just traveled back and forth between the two teams’ half forward lines.
The fourth quarter started as intense as the first three before rain slowed the momentum five minutes in to the quarter. Peverill finally booted the first goal of the term seven minutes in and leveled the scores. One of the light towers turned off midway through the final quarter and so did Essendon. The Bombers’ couldn’t buy a goal and missed opportunities when Rioli and Lloyd both kicked behinds. Carlton finally broke the goal drought with a goal to Houlihan and then sealed the match when Adrian Hickmott booted Carlton’s 15th goal.
Carlton fought its way back into the match in the second half and capitalised on forward opportunities in the final quarter. Essendon would be severely disappointed not to come away with the four points. They face the Western Bulldogs next Saturday night with a win loss ratio of one to two.
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