TonyK
CibbuanoDogs down gallant Dees
May 16th 2009 07:35
THE Western Bulldogs have consolidated their place in the top four with a hard-fought seven-point win over Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs withstood a last-quarter surge from the gallant Demons to prevail 15.14 (104) to 15.7 (97).
The Demons started brightly but their lack of finishing proved to be costly.
Some of the gloss was taken off the win for the Dogs with classy forward Robert Murphy suffering a hamstring injury in the first term which is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks.
Matthew Boyd was influential in the middle with a team-high 33 possessions while Lindsay Gilbee and Daniel Giansiracusa were busy contributors while Tom Williams kept Brad Miller goalless.
The Bulldogs had nine individual goal kickers for the match - Jason Akermanis the most effective with four while Scott Welsh chimed in with three majors.
For the Demons, Cale Morton, Brent Moloney and Brock McLean tried hard all day, racking up 36-plus disposals while Aaron Davey showed his class with 28 quality touches.
Matthew Bate booted four goals while Russell Robertson continued his impressive return from injury with three goals.
Melbourne’s willingness to play on at all costs and use the corridor in the first term paid handsome dividends as they booted five goals to three to go into quarter-time with an 11-point lead.
The Demons looked set to cause a major upset when the margin blew out to 22 points after Bate and Nathan Jones kicked truly early in the second term.
But the Dogs lifted their rating and got themselves back into the contest largely thanks to the efforts of Akermanis who booted three goals for the quarter to get his side to within three points at half-time.
Robertson kicked the first of the second half to give his side a nine-point lead but Melbourne’s joy was short-lived as the Bulldogs started to take control of the midfield.
Akermanis’ fourth major of the afternoon was followed by goals from Gilbee and Welsh as the Dogs took a 12-point advantage into three-quarter time.
Gilbee kicked his second early in the final stanza to give his side a handy break but the Demons refused to be blown away and hit back with majors from Adam Maric and Davey to close to within eight points.
The contest appeared to be over when Welsh kicked his third to blow the margin out to 18 points at the 22-minute mark.
But Melbourne responded with goals from Shane Valenti and Bate to reduce the deficit to just seven points with less than two minutes late.
However, it was too little too late as the Bulldogs held firm in the dying stages to record their fifth win of the season.
MELBOURNE: 5.2, 10.3, 11.4, 15.7 (97)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.3, 9.6, 12.10, 15.14 (104)
GOALS: Melbourne: Bate 4, Robertson 3, Maric 2, Petterd, Jones, Valenti, Sylvia, Davey, McLean
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis 4, Welsh 3, Gilbee 2, Johnson, Murphy, Hahn, Addison, Cooney, Boyd
BEST: Melbourne: Moloney, McLean, Grimes, Bate, Morton, Davey
Western Bulldogs: Gilbee, Akermanis, Boyd, Giansiracusa, Welsh, Morris, Williams
INJURIES: Melbourne: TBC
Western Bulldogs: Murphy (hamstring)
REPORTS: TBC
CHANGES: Addison replaced Hargrave in the Western Bulldogs selected side
UMPIRES: Nicholls, Hay, McInerney
CROWD: 28,279 at the MCG
The Bulldogs withstood a last-quarter surge from the gallant Demons to prevail 15.14 (104) to 15.7 (97).
The Demons started brightly but their lack of finishing proved to be costly.
Some of the gloss was taken off the win for the Dogs with classy forward Robert Murphy suffering a hamstring injury in the first term which is expected to sideline him for two to three weeks.
Matthew Boyd was influential in the middle with a team-high 33 possessions while Lindsay Gilbee and Daniel Giansiracusa were busy contributors while Tom Williams kept Brad Miller goalless.
The Bulldogs had nine individual goal kickers for the match - Jason Akermanis the most effective with four while Scott Welsh chimed in with three majors.
For the Demons, Cale Morton, Brent Moloney and Brock McLean tried hard all day, racking up 36-plus disposals while Aaron Davey showed his class with 28 quality touches.
Matthew Bate booted four goals while Russell Robertson continued his impressive return from injury with three goals.
Melbourne’s willingness to play on at all costs and use the corridor in the first term paid handsome dividends as they booted five goals to three to go into quarter-time with an 11-point lead.
The Demons looked set to cause a major upset when the margin blew out to 22 points after Bate and Nathan Jones kicked truly early in the second term.
But the Dogs lifted their rating and got themselves back into the contest largely thanks to the efforts of Akermanis who booted three goals for the quarter to get his side to within three points at half-time.
Robertson kicked the first of the second half to give his side a nine-point lead but Melbourne’s joy was short-lived as the Bulldogs started to take control of the midfield.
Akermanis’ fourth major of the afternoon was followed by goals from Gilbee and Welsh as the Dogs took a 12-point advantage into three-quarter time.
Gilbee kicked his second early in the final stanza to give his side a handy break but the Demons refused to be blown away and hit back with majors from Adam Maric and Davey to close to within eight points.
The contest appeared to be over when Welsh kicked his third to blow the margin out to 18 points at the 22-minute mark.
But Melbourne responded with goals from Shane Valenti and Bate to reduce the deficit to just seven points with less than two minutes late.
However, it was too little too late as the Bulldogs held firm in the dying stages to record their fifth win of the season.
MELBOURNE: 5.2, 10.3, 11.4, 15.7 (97)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.3, 9.6, 12.10, 15.14 (104)
GOALS: Melbourne: Bate 4, Robertson 3, Maric 2, Petterd, Jones, Valenti, Sylvia, Davey, McLean
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis 4, Welsh 3, Gilbee 2, Johnson, Murphy, Hahn, Addison, Cooney, Boyd
BEST: Melbourne: Moloney, McLean, Grimes, Bate, Morton, Davey
Western Bulldogs: Gilbee, Akermanis, Boyd, Giansiracusa, Welsh, Morris, Williams
INJURIES: Melbourne: TBC
Western Bulldogs: Murphy (hamstring)
REPORTS: TBC
CHANGES: Addison replaced Hargrave in the Western Bulldogs selected side
UMPIRES: Nicholls, Hay, McInerney
CROWD: 28,279 at the MCG
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