Essendon has celebrated their second win of the season against the Gold Coast Suns.
Bombers fans let out a huge roar at the final siren as their team ended a club-record 17-match losing streak, 11.9 (75) to 9.15 (69).
Essendon's win puts the Bombers one match and 3.2 per cent behind the Brisbane Lions at the tail of the ladder, with the Western Bulldogs and Carlton to play.
The Dons trailed by seven points at the last change, but managed 4.2 to 1.7 in the final quarter.
Acting skipper Zach Merrett was prolific, as he has been for much of the season, finishing with 38 disposals and his class standing out in a scrappy affair.
He was helped by David Zaharakis, who ended the contest with 40 touches despite having Matt Shaw on his tail for the second half.
Bombers coach John Worsfold was thrilled with his side's composure when it was required.
"For the players and for our fans, it's a big day. It's very exciting," he said.
"Today we did enough to be in front at the end, which was a great reward for the players. We're still miles off where we want to be, but to do enough to win that game was outstanding.
“Ultimately in terms of winning the game, [the message] was keep taking it on and understand what we're trying to do and communicate that to each other. They did it with a lot of maturity in the last quarter."
Touk Miller worked hard all day for the Suns for his 39 disposals, stepping up in the absence of his team's plethora of injured midfielders.
Suns coach Rodney Eade was disappointed with his side's work rate.
"We looked heavy-legged. We always knew at some stage towards the end of the season we might run out of run, but I don't think that was the case today. I just think we didn't bring the required effort," he said after the game.
"There was a lack of discipline at times."
Gold Coast tall forwards came to the fore in the third quarter, with Tom Lynch, Sam Day and Peter Wright combining for all three of the team's goals in that term.
The Bombers wouldn't respond with a major of their own until more than 20 minutes into the quarter, when Conor McKenna slotted his second goal of the game.
Mitch Brown's intercept marking was critical late, and he cut the margin to one point two minutes into the final term, booting a set shot through from outside the 50m arc after Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti's speed from defence had been important.
Minutes later, Brown's effort to bring the ball to ground allowed Jackson Merrett to crumb and put through a goal.
Six consecutive behinds late in the match to the Suns, including two to Lynch, closed the gap to 12 points before the key forward kicked a goal with 14 seconds remaining on the clock.
However, the Bombers were able to hang on grimly for the win.
First-gamer Jake Long's speed and his willingness to chase and tackle would have put a smile on the faces of Bombers fans, as well as his father, Dons' legend Michael.
MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: Defender Michael Hartley copped a blow to the nose in the second term and went off under the blood rule. After passing a concussion test, he came back on the ground in the third quarter to play a crucial role in the win. Coach John Worsfold thought Hartley had a broken nose.Long's head was opened up but he too would return.
Gold Coast: The Suns emerged unscathed.
NEXT UP
Essendon will look to ride its momentum against the top-four contending Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium next Sunday, while Gold Coast will stay in Melbourne all week before facing Collingwood on Saturday at the same venue.
ESSENDON 3.3 6.6 7.7 11.9 (75)
GOLD COAST 3.1 5.5 8.8 9.15 (69)
GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 3, McKenna 2, Cooney, Grimley, Daniher, Brown, J.Merrett, Bird
Gold Coast: Lynch 2, Day 2, Wright 2, Grant, Miller, Matera
BEST
Essendon: Zaharakis, Z.Merrett, Fantasia, Stokes, Ambrose, Gleeson
Gold Coast: Miller, May, Hall, Rosa
INJURIES
Essendon: Hartley (nose)
Gold Coast: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Brown, Foot, Mitchell
Official crowd: 16,622 at Etihad Stadium
