Box Hill has fallen short of a strong Essendon outfit in front of a vocal crowd at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The battle was befitting of sides placed fourth and fifth, with victory an important step toward securing the coveted double chance.

The Hawks were off to a promising start when relentless pressure from James Worpel caused the ball to spill to the clean-finishing Mitch Lewis, who converted the snap.

The backline became a launchpad for counter–attack as Essendon launched inside its forward 50. Will Hams got busy against his former club, and Teia Miles provided a touch of class on the rebound, with the pair racking up seven and eight first-term disposals, respectively.

A piece of individual brilliance brought about the next and only other major of the term, as Mitch Lewis raked in a brilliant one-handed grab while running full-tilt toward the boundary line. The club’s leading goal kicker went back and routinely slotted the set shot.

The Dons lifted their tackling pressure which resulted in repeat entries, however it was Kaiden Brand who read the play best and added to his mounting tally of intercept marks, including a particularly brave effort running back with the flight.

Alongside Kurt Heatherley, the pair weathered the storm as the Bombers would move to lead the inside fifty count by the conclusion of term, yet remain goalless at the first break.

However, this wasn’t to last.

The second term saw the Dons begin to capitalise, with a Jordan Houlahan set shot opening their account for the day, followed by an impressive long-range effort from defender Michael Hartley. When Travis Colyer utilised his speed to split from the pack and finish on the run, Essendon hit the front.

Skipper Andrew Moore continued to lead from the front, with 16 disposals to his name, while Cousins had 14 of his own on his way to what would be a best afield performance.

Despite Box Hill's efforts, a pair of goals to Jayden Laverde and Aaron Heppell capped the quarter, to see the red and black take a three-goal lead heading into the major break, with the Hawks in need of a regroup having completed the term without troubling the scorers.

And regroup they did, as the drought was broken at the commencement of the third, with Hams bursting from the stoppage to deliver a long forward fifty entry to Jackson Ross, who ran around the man on the mark to finish neatly.

Thereafter, chances went begging as both Teia Miles and Dallas Willsmore threatened to score on the run to no avail, and an Andrew Moore set shot swayed left.

Lewis continued to threaten up forward and maintained his accurate goal kicking after being granted a deep free kick, putting his third on the board to cut the margin to less than a major.

Essendon looked certain to hit back when Laverde marked just outside the goal square, but the Bomber didn’t account for the desperation of Mirra, with the former skipper managing a goal-saving fingertip on the snap.

Heatherley added an impressive high-flying mark to his growing report card; and the Hawks swooped to transition quickly. Pittonet made a strong contest on the wing, Hanrahan linked with Cousins, and Ross found himself on the end of the passage as suddenly, it was all square at City Oval.

It would have stayed that way heading into the final term had it not been for a Houlahan set shot after the siren, which was always narrow. With the slightest of margins, a crowd growing in voice and a finals-like intensity on the field, the game was poised for a blockbuster finish.

The final term began in perfect fashion for the Hawks, as Conor Nash found space to dash through the middle before heading long toward Lewis in a one-on-one contest. Lewis battled valiantly to keep to the ball in play, before spotting up Brendan Whitecross, whose experience shone, as the veteran kept a level head to kick truly on the angle.

A Worpel behind was followed by a running goal from Essendon big man, Matthew Leuenberger, who found himself in the unfamiliar role of rover, but converted all the same.

Both side’s defensive units worked overtime to deny conversion from forward fifty entries before pressure from Box Hill eventually caused the turnover, with Moore on the end of an errant Essendon disposal. With the opportunity to put the home side back in front, the set shot faded right.

At the other end, an opportunistic snap from Essendon’s leading goal-kicker and thus far scoreless, Daniel Younan, handed the Bombers the lead deep into the last.

Leuenberger would have the final say, converting a difficult set shot from the pocket to put the exclamation point on a 14-point Essendon victory.

Goals: Lewis 3, Ross 2, Hanrahan, Whitecross

Disposals: A. Moore 29, Cousins 25, Miles 24, Lovell 22, Mirra 20

Best: Cousins, Moore, Miles, Mirra, Lewis, Hanrahan

Images courtesy of Kadek Thatcher Photography