Scott Lucas says the Bombers performance against Sydney provides further evidence of the side’s ability to compete with the best.

The Swans had won five of its last six matches leading into Friday night’s match and the Dons looked destined to come away from the SCG with the four points for the first time since 2009 when Michael Hurley put the team up by 19 points late in the last quarter.

But the home side surged and pulled off the unlikely win with a kick after the siren.

Lucas said Essendon has shown over the last six weeks of the season it can match it with the form sides of the competition, the challenge now to ensure the side is winning those games.

“What it reinforced once again is how ‘good’ their ‘good’ is and their ‘very best’ stands up against any team,” Lucas said.

“It’s a very open season and you never know if you get your game together at the right time and you finish inside the eight … anything can happen.

“They’ve had a very good record against top four teams, their confidence should be right up there.

“They just need to get the wins and losses the right way around.”

The Bombers trailed the Swans by 24 points during the third quarter, but turned it around by kicking seven goals in a 27 minute period either side of the three quarter time break.

“They took the game on, they attacked and they used the corridor and they got overlap run,” Lucas said.

“When they took the game on they denied Sydney the ball and entries in their forward half.

“When they went conservative in those last few minutes that’s when Sydney (came back) … of course Sydney lifted as well and really pushed and pressed.

“Through the third quarter and the first half of the last quarter Essendon really controlled the game and showed each other what they’re capable of in this season which is really tight.”

Lucas said given how close the season is proving, taking your chances will be crucial in the run to the finals.

“It’s incredibly disappointing if you were an Essendon supporter watching on and even a neutral supporter because there were some fundamental mistakes late in that game really hurt the boys,” he said.

“They played so well up until that point, they put themselves in a position to win and then it went against them.

“There was a lot to learn from it and I’m sure the coaches will go through it this week.

“We’ve seen it a lot with other teams this year, you need to take the good out but learn from that because you will be in that position again this season.”