Essendon VFL has secured a fifth win from its last six games with a 12-point victory over Gold Coast at Windy Hill on Saturday.
It was a tale of inaccuracy all day for the Bombers, who dictated large periods of play and did most of the attacking throughout but struggled to convert in unusually tame conditions on home deck.
With the Suns leading 35-13 in the second term, Essendon kicked into gear through the efforts of returning mid-season draftee Saad El-Hawli and key forwards Peter Wright and Jared Eckersley, booting much-needed goals to keep their side in the hunt at the half.
El-Hawli's goal was a key moment in a promising comeback performance from a lengthy ankle injury - he finished with 21 touches and 10 score involvements in a damaging display from the wing.
After the main change, the Dons continued to pepper away going inside 50 but just lacked the finishing touches to make it count on the scoreboard. A Bailey Scott goal finally snapped a run of six straight behinds in the third term and provided a kick of confidence in front of goal, with 18-year-old Jobe Shanahan and vice-skipper Jackson Hately also converting to give the Bombers some breathing room.
A long-range goal from Oskar Smartt continued the run for the Bombers, who led by as much as 24 points late in the final term and withstood a late Suns fightback to secure the two-goal win.
Convincingly winning the inside 50 count and clearance stats, Essendon's score of 11.25 could've been more damaging, but nonetheless proved enough to continue their late-season surge under Senior Coach Blake Caracella.
The impact of the Bombers' AFL-listed brigade has come to the fore in recent weeks - Wright finished with three goals, Archie Perkins (28 touches) looked strong and distributed well in the middle, while Tex Wanganeen and Nick Hind (21 and 29 possessions respectively) again looked energised on the run-and-carry front.
ESSENDON 1.6 4.13 6.20 11.25 (91)
GOLD COAST 4.4 6.9 7.11 11.13 (79)
GOALS
Wright 3, Shanahan 2, Scott 2, Smartt, Hately, El-Hawli, Eckersley
BEST
Perkins, El-Hawli, Tsatas, Hind, Wanganeen
