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Bombers too strong for Swans
5:08:49 PM Sat 1 May, 2004
Barry Levinson
Sportal
Essendon?s slow start to the season is now a distant memory after the Bombers recorded their fourth successive victory, surviving a late rally to defeat the Sydney Swans by 10 points at the MCG.
Since sinking to the bottom of the ladder following a winless opening two rounds, the Bombers? 2004 premiership challenge is beginning to gather momentum with their 16.12 (108) to 15.8 (98) triumph taking their win-loss record to 4-2 after six rounds.
The Swans, on the other hand, now drop back to the pack with a 3-3 record after losing their last two matches.
Essendon seemed headed for a comfortable victory when it led by 41-points at the eight-mintue mark of the final term, following a Jason Johnson goal.
But after being largely disappointing since early in the game, Sydney staged an unlikely fightback, slamming home seven of the last nine goals and giving the Bombers a large fright.
They perhaps should have been even closer, with Essendon spearhead Matthew Lloyd lucky to kick his third goal after a Nathan Lovett-Murray throw in the goal-square went undetected, when the margin was 17-points at the 19-minute mark.
The game was put out of the Swans? grasp when Dean Solomon ? a strong contributor for the Bombers all day ? received a dubious free kick from a marking contest with Craig Bolton and then was taken to the goal-line after a 50-metre penalty was awarded against Sydney debutant Aaron Rogers for running across the mark.
Essendon always enjoyed a comfortable buffer for most of the last three quarters, with a late surge in time-on of the first quarter having a huge bearing on the game.
With their midfield in control, the Swans looked the better side early in the piece with focal point Barry Hall outpointing opponent Dustin Fletcher on several occasions.
Goals to Craig Bolton and Hall put Sydney up by 10 points at the 24 minute-mark, before Essendon ? aided by a strong wind - mustered an unlikely challenge.
The six-pointers did not emanate from any great system ? just sheer determination ? with Damien Peverill booting two in a minute from left-foot snaps, while youngster Ricky Dyson slotted home another off his classy left foot from just inside the 50 to give the Bombers an improbable nine-point buffer at the first change.
Then the rain came and the Bombers? lead became more invaluable, helped by Solomon?s second goal for the afternoon, courtesy of another surprising free kick.
Sydney dominated most of the second quarter but could not buy a goal. Their short-kick, possession football did not suit the slippery conditions with the delivery into attack regularly making life tough for the forward line.
While Hall took eight marks in the first half, he did not hurt the Bombers on the scoreboard, having to come too far away from goal to win possession.
And with the injured Michael O?Loughlin again sidelined with a hamstring complaint, the Swans? attack looked incapable of kicking a winning score.
Sydney could only muster three behinds in a rain-affected second term, while a quick snap at goal from Brett Stanton afforded the Bombers a handy 20-point lead at half-time.
Hall converted his dominance on the contest in the second half, kicking three goals to finish with four for the match.
He was easily the Swans? best, but Brett Kirk and Jude Bolton aside, the Sydney-siders lacked few other four quarter contributors.
Essendon captain James Hird did his Brownlow chances no harm, with another stellar performance, while Jason Johnson hardly missed a beat following a four-week injury lay-off and Mark Bolton had a fine defensive game on Sydney match-winner Adam Goodes.
Essendon: 5.6, 7.8, 12.10, 16.12 (108)
Sydney: 4.3, 4.6, 8.7, 15.8 (98)
GOALS: Essendon: Solomon, Lloyd 3, Peverill 2, Hird, J.Johnson, Lucas, Murphy, Stanton, Dyson, Lovett-Murray, Rioli 1
Sydney: Hall 4, Williams, O?Keefe, Schneider 2, Davis, C.Bolton, Maxfield, J.Bolton, Kirk 1
BEST: Essendon: Solomon, Hird, J.Johnson, Bolton, Hille, Murphy, McPhee
Sydney: Hall, Kirk, J.Bolton, O'Keefe, Fosdike, Saddington, Williams
INJURIES: Essendon: None
Sydney: Schneider (hamstring)
CHANGES: Essendon: Bullen (calf) replaced by Misiti
Sydney: Ablett (ill) replaced by McVeigh
REPORTS: None
UMPIRES: Meredith, Ellis, Goldspink
CROWD: 38,946 at the MCG
5:08:49 PM Sat 1 May, 2004
Barry Levinson
Sportal
Essendon?s slow start to the season is now a distant memory after the Bombers recorded their fourth successive victory, surviving a late rally to defeat the Sydney Swans by 10 points at the MCG.
Since sinking to the bottom of the ladder following a winless opening two rounds, the Bombers? 2004 premiership challenge is beginning to gather momentum with their 16.12 (108) to 15.8 (98) triumph taking their win-loss record to 4-2 after six rounds.
The Swans, on the other hand, now drop back to the pack with a 3-3 record after losing their last two matches.
Essendon seemed headed for a comfortable victory when it led by 41-points at the eight-mintue mark of the final term, following a Jason Johnson goal.
But after being largely disappointing since early in the game, Sydney staged an unlikely fightback, slamming home seven of the last nine goals and giving the Bombers a large fright.
They perhaps should have been even closer, with Essendon spearhead Matthew Lloyd lucky to kick his third goal after a Nathan Lovett-Murray throw in the goal-square went undetected, when the margin was 17-points at the 19-minute mark.
The game was put out of the Swans? grasp when Dean Solomon ? a strong contributor for the Bombers all day ? received a dubious free kick from a marking contest with Craig Bolton and then was taken to the goal-line after a 50-metre penalty was awarded against Sydney debutant Aaron Rogers for running across the mark.
Essendon always enjoyed a comfortable buffer for most of the last three quarters, with a late surge in time-on of the first quarter having a huge bearing on the game.
With their midfield in control, the Swans looked the better side early in the piece with focal point Barry Hall outpointing opponent Dustin Fletcher on several occasions.
Goals to Craig Bolton and Hall put Sydney up by 10 points at the 24 minute-mark, before Essendon ? aided by a strong wind - mustered an unlikely challenge.
The six-pointers did not emanate from any great system ? just sheer determination ? with Damien Peverill booting two in a minute from left-foot snaps, while youngster Ricky Dyson slotted home another off his classy left foot from just inside the 50 to give the Bombers an improbable nine-point buffer at the first change.
Then the rain came and the Bombers? lead became more invaluable, helped by Solomon?s second goal for the afternoon, courtesy of another surprising free kick.
Sydney dominated most of the second quarter but could not buy a goal. Their short-kick, possession football did not suit the slippery conditions with the delivery into attack regularly making life tough for the forward line.
While Hall took eight marks in the first half, he did not hurt the Bombers on the scoreboard, having to come too far away from goal to win possession.
And with the injured Michael O?Loughlin again sidelined with a hamstring complaint, the Swans? attack looked incapable of kicking a winning score.
Sydney could only muster three behinds in a rain-affected second term, while a quick snap at goal from Brett Stanton afforded the Bombers a handy 20-point lead at half-time.
Hall converted his dominance on the contest in the second half, kicking three goals to finish with four for the match.
He was easily the Swans? best, but Brett Kirk and Jude Bolton aside, the Sydney-siders lacked few other four quarter contributors.
Essendon captain James Hird did his Brownlow chances no harm, with another stellar performance, while Jason Johnson hardly missed a beat following a four-week injury lay-off and Mark Bolton had a fine defensive game on Sydney match-winner Adam Goodes.
Essendon: 5.6, 7.8, 12.10, 16.12 (108)
Sydney: 4.3, 4.6, 8.7, 15.8 (98)
GOALS: Essendon: Solomon, Lloyd 3, Peverill 2, Hird, J.Johnson, Lucas, Murphy, Stanton, Dyson, Lovett-Murray, Rioli 1
Sydney: Hall 4, Williams, O?Keefe, Schneider 2, Davis, C.Bolton, Maxfield, J.Bolton, Kirk 1
BEST: Essendon: Solomon, Hird, J.Johnson, Bolton, Hille, Murphy, McPhee
Sydney: Hall, Kirk, J.Bolton, O'Keefe, Fosdike, Saddington, Williams
INJURIES: Essendon: None
Sydney: Schneider (hamstring)
CHANGES: Essendon: Bullen (calf) replaced by Misiti
Sydney: Ablett (ill) replaced by McVeigh
REPORTS: None
UMPIRES: Meredith, Ellis, Goldspink
CROWD: 38,946 at the MCG
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