Essendon has gone back-to-back for the first time this season, holding out Sandringham by 20 points at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
The Bombers led for most of the match and got out to a game-high 24-point lead at half-time. The Bombers were at their fleet-footed best in the first half, holding Sandringham scoreless in the second quarter and slamming on 3.6 themselves to open out what turned out to be a decisive buffer.
However, the contest went from freewheeling to a war of attrition in the second half as the Zebras threatened to claw their way back only for a clutch performance from the increasingly maturing Essendon backline to hold them at bay at every turn.
A goal from Danny Younan in the dying stages of the match broke the deadlock and sealed the deal as Essendon came home in an effort of great courage and character, 10.14 (74) to 7.12 (54).
If the game was a beast of two heads, then the Essendon defence was its most consistent facet.
Nick Hind was mercurial as he combined a tagging role on Sandringham’s Jack Lonie with his typical dashing flair. The speedy defender finished with 22 touches and a crucial last-quarter goal when he was given a chance to go forward.
Aaron Francis played well as a defender and was willing to leave his direct opponent and compete in the air while Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Matt Dea and Mitch Brown were cool under fire all day and took relieving intercept marks in the final quarter. Throw in the equally reliable Michael Hartley, Jordan Ridley and Jamieson Sheahan and the backline did not have a weak link.
Dylan Clarke (36 touches including 24 in the first half), Jackson Merrett (33 touches and a goal), Kyle Langford (25 touches) and Aaron Heppell (23 touches) all had days to remember in an important win for Essendon.
Apart from securing sixth spot on the ladder for the Bombers, the win over the Zebras showed that Dan Jordan’s side has the growing maturity to win against their preferred style.
“I was proud of the guys for the effort and the attitude they brought, I thought they ground it out for four quarters and I was rapt for them to get the result today,” Jordan said after the match.
“When there’s good pressure around the ball, it allows the backs to be assertive and come off. So even though our backs are being assertive and want to come off and give some intercept marking options.
“If there’s no heat around the ball that doesn’t allow that to happen, so it was a really solid team effort.”
Essendon will play Geelong at Windy Hill next Saturday from 12pm.
ESSENDON 4.4 7.10 8.13 10.14 (74)
SANDRINGHAM 4.4 4.4 6.9 7.12 (54)
Best – Clarke, Francis, J. Merrett, Ridley, Langford, Younan
Goals – Boyse 2, Long 2, Younan 2, Houlahan, Hind, J. Merrett, Hocking
