A six-goal final quarter surge has seen Footscray come from 26-points behind to defeat the Northern Blues on Saturday afternoon at IKON Park.

After the Blues kicked five unanswered goals to end the third term, a Footscray victory was looking unlikely with the home-side outnumbering and outworking the visitors around and away from the contest.

However, kicking to the Legends Stand end in the last term, with the breeze at their backs, Footscray kicked 6.5 to 0.1 to finish 13-point victors over the Blues, 12.8 (80) to 10.7 (67).

Lacking a tall marking target inside 50m for the first three quarters, Fletcher Roberts was swung forward with success, marking strongly to kick two last quarter goals and set up another to help turn the tide for Footscray.

Nick Jamieson (nine disposals), Alex Greenwood (nine disposals), Josh Dunkley (seven disposals), Will Hayes (seven disposals) all got busy in the final term, to wrestle back the ascendancy around the ball, while collectively the ‘Scray restricted the Blues to just three forward 50m entries for the last term. 

The visitors were also more efficient going forward in the final term, generating 11 scoring shots from their 18 inside 50m, compared to the nine scoring shots from their 37 inside 50m to three quarter time.

In their returns from injury, Josh Dunkley and Patrick Lipinski both delivered solid contributions. Dunkley finished with 26 disposals, one goal and a team high 12 tackles, while Lipinski was clean with his 20 disposals and one goal.

VFL-listed midfielder Will Hayes was Footscray’s leading ball-winner with 27 disposals, also amassing nine marks and eight tackles.

The game opened in a frenzy, with both sides playing at break-neck pace between the arcs. Billy Gowers kicked Footscray’s first two goals of the match to help the visitors take a five point lead into the first change.

The Northern Blues kicked 4-3 goals in the second term to take a two point lead into half time, scoring heavily from the turnover and proving to be cleaner in their ball use. 

After Gowers kicked the first goal of the third term – his third for the day -  to give Footscray back the lead, it was the Northern Blues that went on a five-goal run, keeping the ‘Scray goalless from the second minute of the term.

Despite generating 14-12 forward 50m entries for the term, Footscray too often turned the ball over and were unable to convert their hard work further afield. The Northern Blues made the visitors pay, and were ready to pounce on skill errors, surging forward in numbers to score.

Nick Jamieson got Footscray rolling in the final term with a classy running goal from the arc, and from there it was all one way traffic as the Bulldogs went on to record their tenth win for the season and maintain their place in the top four.

With no game next weekend, Footscray will now wait a fortnight until they return to the field, when they head to Windy Hill to take on Essendon on Saturday 19 August.

 

Northern Blues                       1.2       5.3       10.5     10.6 (66)

Footscray Bulldogs                 2.1       5.1       6.3       12.8 (80)


GOALS: B. Gowers 3, F. Roberts 2, J. Dunkley 1, L. Dalgleish 1, F. Greene 1, N. Jameison 1, P. Lipinski 1, L. Nash, M. Goodyear.

DISPOSALS: W. Hayes 27, M. Boyd 26, J Dunkley 26, N. Jamieson 24, L. Dalgleish 23, A. Barry 22. A. Greenwood 21, P. Lipinski 20.

BEST: TBC