Essendon showed terrific spirit and courage to wind up its preparation for season 2007 with a come-from-behind win over Hawthorn at Casey Fields this afternoon. Essendon managed just one goal in the first half of the game but reeled off nine second-half goals to three to win an occasionally fiery encounter by nine points.

Essendon got through the game unscathed in terms of injury but both Kepler Bradley and David Hille are both on report – Hille for striking and Bradley for an allegedly head-high bump. Hawthorn didn’t get through the game unscathed either with Luke Hodge reported twice – once for striking Matthew Lloyd and once for charging Damien Peverill. Shane Crawford was reported again – this time for using obscene and insulting language.

In difficult windy conditions, Essendon took time to settle and its first quarter was poor to say the least. Kicking with the aid of a strong breeze, Essendon were entitled to lead by four or five goals at quarter time but they led by a solitary point. The Bombers were chasing tail for most of the quarter and failed to use the ball effectively when they did get hold of it.

Hawthorn showed how it should be done the following quarter kicking five goals while Essendon could manage just three points. Poor discipline cost Essendon two of those goals. Hawthorn’s mark Williams had three goals at half time but it was the Hawthorn midfield that was doing the damage. The Bombers looked to be in deep trouble and the 28-point margin looked to be a winning one.

But the Bombers turned things around with a superb seven-goal third quarter. Alwyn Davey set his team alight across half forward kicking two goals, Lloyd kicked two and after Mark McVeigh, Courtenay Dempsey and Damien Peverill chipped in, Essendon had set up a 10-point lead at the final break.

The turnaround was engineered in the midfield with Henry Slattery, Jobe Watson and Peverill instrumental in the fightback. McVeigh – who was outstanding all day – was also an excellent contributor as was Adam McPhee as the Bombers began to run and find some real confidence.

That confidence was carried into the final quarter when Slattery and Scott Lucas goaled to give their team a four-goal break. The Bombers worked hard for the remainder of the quarter, running the ball into the wind and playing high possession football to run down the clock.

There were some real positives for Essendon in the second half. Slattery enjoyed his time in the midfield and Paddy Ryder started to look more at home at centre half back. Alwyn Davey continued to impress and he has almost certainly booked himself a place in the team in round one. Dempsey also played well in the second half and if he can string some games together looks a real possibility of slotting onto a wing.

James Hird and Lloyd were reasonably quiet during the afternoon. Mal Michael and Dustin Fletcher combined well in the back half and that was a pleasing sign for Essendon supporters. The Essendon back half looks to combining well at this stage and capable of holding teams to losing scores.

Essendon was without a number of senior players today including Jason Johnson, Scott Camporeale, Andrew Lovett, Andrew Welsh, Richard Cole and Jason Laycock. Kevin Sheedy confirmed after the game that Johnson and Camporeale would not be ready for Essendon’s round one clash with Adelaide.