A seven goal to one second half has seen the Casey Demons run away 40-point victors over Essendon at the NEC Hangar on Sunday.

The Bombers fell away late in the third term to concede four goals in the final five minutes of play, proving costly in the 5.12 (42) to 12.10 (82) loss.

There were some positive signs to take out of a promising first half for the Dons, who looked threatening early when Patrick Voss put their first on the board.

However, the more the rain continued to bucket down in Tullamarine, the more the Dees settled into the contest.

Bolstered by a dominant four-goal performance from Josh Schache and the relentless running of James Harmes, the Dees' gameplan adapted nicely to the sloppy conditions.

The Bombers had their fair share of opportunities to stay afloat but were left rueing their chances after kicking a mere 3.12 over the final three quarters of play.

Ben Hobbs was a standout on a tough day for the Dons, accumulating 31 possessions in a familiar in-and-under role through the midfield.

In another welcome sight, Nick Bryan’s return from a hamstring injury proved a success - the 17 touches along with his 31 hitouts a great showcase of his mobility around the ground.

Rhett Montgomerie, Alastair Lord and Stefan Rasinac were all solid contributors after half-time, even as an inexperienced back six struggled to cope with Casey’s more mature bodies.

The young Bombers will be looking to bounce back quickly from a difficult day at the office, especially with the annual ANZAC clash against Collingwood around the corner.

The Dons and Pies will square off at Victoria Park at 12pm on Sunday, April 23.

ESSENDON     2.0    4.6    4.8    4.13   (42)
CASEY     2.5    3.2    5.7    10.8   (82)
 
GOALS 
Essendon: Voss (2), Phillips, Sutton, Munkara