A LAST-minute goal from unlikely hero Cale Hooker has helped Essendon to a two-point win over rival Hawthorn at the MCG.
The Bombers held a 35-point lead just before half-time but looked set to be overrun for the second successive week, with the Hawks dominating the second half to lead by 16 points midway through the final term.
But just a week after coughing up a 41-point lead to the Sydney Swans, the Bombers refused to let it happen again and surged to a 12.6 (78) to 11.10 (76) victory.
The win was Essendon's first over Hawthorn since round six, 2010.
It looked as though Hawthorn had things stitched up midway through the final term, with the Bombers seemingly out of run. Key Hawks Jordan Lewis and Brian Lake were having a big say as their teammates finally started to hit forward targets.
But a goal to Travis Colyer with 1m 20sec remaining changed the game again, putting the Bombers within four points and bringing the red and black faithful to their feet.
Then Hooker – who had drifted forward – gathered the ball and accurately snapped accurately with 57 seconds to play.
It proved enough to seal the game – but only just – as the Hawks pressed forward again, only to be beaten by the siren as Luke Breust charged into goal unopposed. The ball came off his boot two seconds too late, the Hawks slumped to the turf and the Bombers rejoiced.
The Bombers came out hard in the first half.
Their tackling – led by Jobe Watson and Adam Cooney – was ferocious, they won the contested ball and forced the Hawks into uncharacteristic mistakes.
Michael Hurley held Jarryd Roughead to just one goal for the day. Watson and Dyson Heppell finished with 33 apiece while Joe Daniher marked strongly and kicked three goals.
With Roughead blanketed and the Bombers' manic pressure affecting the Hawks' use by foot, the premiers had to rely on free kicks and opportunistic gathering at ground level to score.
Essendon coach James Hird would have been furious when Hawthorn pinched two quick goals via Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli just before half-time after the Dons had enjoyed the run of play.
That rapid double put the Hawks within 22 points at the main break, despite trailing by as much as 35 and being beaten sorely across the ground.
Lewis (34 disposals) had a huge say in the last quarter with 15 touches, and Luke Hodge (30) and Shaun Burgoyne (23) were important as the Hawks charged in the second half.
Jack Gunston finished with three goals despite the Hawks failing to take a mark inside 50 in the first half.
James Frawley (shoulder) was subbed out of the game in the first quarter, souring the result further for the Hawks, while they lost Sam Mitchell before the first bounce to a corked calf.
ESSENDON 2.2 7.3 9.4 12.6 (78)
HAWTHORN 1.3 3.5 7.8 11.10 (76)
GOALS
Essendon: Daniher 3, Chapman 2, Colyer 2, Bellchambers 2, Carlisle, Merrett
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Puopolo 2, Breust 2, Rioli, Sicily, Hill, Roughead
BEST
Essendon: Watson, Hurley, Hooker, Daniher, Heppell, Colyer
Hawthorn: Gunston, Puopolo, Rioli, Hodge, Lewis, Burgoyne
INJURIES
Essendon: Zach Merrett (knee), Brendon Goddard (knee)
Hawthorn: Sam Mitchell (corked calf) replaced in selected side by James Sicily, Shaun Burgoyne (cheek), Frawley (shoulder), Suckling (ankle)
SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Jason Ashby replaced Ben Howlett in the third quarter
Hawthorn: James Sicily replaced James Frawley in the first quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, Margetts, Meredith
Official crowd: 59,866 at the MCG
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