TonyK
CibbuanoSaints edge out Dogs
April 30th 2010 12:39
ST KILDA has recorded a gutsy three-point win over the Western Bulldogs in a dour affair at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Trailing by 17 points at three-quarter time, the Saints looked set to suffer their second successive loss after going down to Port Adelaide last weekend but they kicked three unanswered goals in the final term to prevail 7.7 (49) to 6.10 (46).
It was St Kilda’s fifth win of the season while the Bulldogs now have a 3-3 record.
Acting captain Lenny Hayes led from the front with 35 possessions while Leigh Montagna (34) was also superb.
Stephen Milne and David Armitage booted two goals apiece while Sam Fisher kept Barry Hall to just one goal and kicked one of his own.
For the Dogs, Lindsay Gilbee and Adam Cooney racked up 36 disposals each while Jarrod Harbrow generated plenty of run from defence with 34 touches.
The Bulldogs kicked the first goal of the match after just two minutes of action with Daniel Giansiracusa snapping truly but only a further two majors were booted in a first term in which the defensive pressure applied by both sides was superb.
The last of those two goals was a long-range bomb from Ryan Griffen in the final minute of the quarter which put the Dogs six points in front at the first change.
St Kilda managed the first goal of the second term before the Bulldogs took control of general play.
However they were unable to translate their dominance onto the scoreboard, booting a wasteful 1.5 to go into the main break with a 10-point advantage.
A 50m penalty against Tom Williams for running over the mark resulted in Milne kicking the first goal of third quarter before the Bulldogs banged on goals through Shaun Higgins, Jordan Roughead and Hall to blow the margin out to 23 points at the 18-minute mark.
Armitage converted two minutes later but the Dogs went into the final change with a handy buffer.
Leading by 15 points 18 minutes into the final stanza, the Bulldogs appeared to be on course for their first win over a top-eight side in 2010.
But a fumble by Williams in the middle of the ground led to a goal to Milne before Armitage booted a soccer-style goal shortly after to cut the deficit to less than one straight kick.
When Fisher snapped a goal from 35m out the Saints were in front by three points with just under three minutes left on the clock.
The Saints then held firm in the dying stages to record the most unlikeliest of victories.
ST KILDA 1.2, 2.3, 4.3, 7.7 (49)
WESTERN BULLDOGS:2.2, 3.7, 6.8, 6.10 (46)
GOALS: St Kilda: Milne 2, Armitage 2, Koschitzke, Steven, Fisher
Western Bulldogs: Hall, Giansiracusa, Griffin, Hahn, Higgins, Roughead
BEST: St Kilda: Hayes, Montagna, Fisher, Goddard, Gwilt , Dal Santo
Western Bulldogs: Gilbee, Cooney, Harbrow, Giansiracusa, Lake, Griffen
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, Meredith, Pannell
CROWD: 43,072 at Etihad Stadium
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