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Saints Too Strong for Bombers

18 April 2008

ST KILDA has survived a strong Essendon challenge to run out 36-point winners in their clash at Telstra Dome.

Posting its third victory of the season, St Kilda beat the Bombers 18.15 (123) to 14.3 (87).

The Saints led for most of the night but were jolted by a Bomber blitz in the third term.

St Kilda was dominant in the midfield, an area they had been criticised in for the early parts of the season. Lenny Hayes was doing his in and under work at the stoppages, Robert Harvey was terrific with in disposal while Nick Dal Santo showed some form with excellent poise around the ground.

St Kilda had the edge over Essendon early in the game to lead by 15 points at quarter time.

But it was the second quarter where Ross Lyon’s men stamped their authority on the match.

The Saints put on seven goals and could have had more but for some poor shots from easy angles.

David Armitage showed plenty of nous in just his fourth game of senior football. The 19-year-old spent plenty of time on the bench but when he was on the ground he won contests and hurt Essendon with his left boot.

Armitage booted two goals and gave Saints fans plenty of reasons to be excited about the future.

And Sam Fisher set up plenty of the play with his dash from half-back.

The Saints didn’t have many stars, but their strength came in nullifying Essendon’s danger men.

One of the most valuable contributors was former Sydney Swan Sean Dempster. He ran with zippy Bomber Andrew Lovett and completely shut him out of the game.

Fellow stopper Leigh Fisher also did a top job on midfielder Brent Stanton, while the best shut down job of all came from tenacious defender Max Hudghton.

Hudghton completely blanketed Essendon skipper Matthew Lloyd, spoiling and harassing him all night and keeping him to a rare goalless outing.

Justin Koschitzke and Nick Riewoldt were left to their own in the forward line without Fraser Gehrig and while they didn’t star, they did well to bring the ball to ground so that crumbers Stephen Milne, Luke Ball and Leigh Montagna could get to it.

Charlie Gardiner relished his role across half-forward, while Brendon Goddard continued to make big strides in his return from a knee reconstruction. Goddard had it hard at times on Adam McPhee who was playing as a tall forward, but had plenty of support from his fellow defenders.

When Koschitzke slotted a goal two minutes into the third term it looked as if the Saints would coast home, but Essendon booted the next six to completely change the momentum of the match.

St Kilda could not get a break as the pacy Bombers ran them off their feet.

The Saints’ troubles were compounded when Dal Santo went off with a shoulder injury - to return later - and ruckman Steven King hobbled from the ground with a hamstring complaint.

Only a goal late in the quarter from skipper Nick Riewoldt steadied the ship for the Saints and ensured a 23-point lead at the final change.

Milne, who made several crucial errors in the third term, redeemed himself with two early goals in the fourth to take the heat off.

Soon enough the sting went out of the game and the Saints got over the line to get back on the winners list.

St Kilda 5.3 12.9 14.12 18.15 (123)

Essendon 3.0 6.1 12.1 14.3 (87)

GOALS

St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Koschitzke 2, Armitage 2, Ball 2, Milne 2, C. Gardiner 2, King, Clarke, Montagna, Dempster, Hayes

Essendon: Houli 2, Lovett 2, McPhee 2, Pears, Stanton, Ramanauskas, Welsh, Nash, Laycock, Ryder, Stanton

BEST

St Kilda: Hudghton, Hayes, Harvey, S. Fisher, Dempster, Riewoldt, Armitage

Essendon: Houli, McPhee, Ryder, Ramanauskas, Watson, Hille

INJURIES

St Kilda: King (hamstring/back spasm), Dal Santo (shoulder)

Essendon: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Nicholls, Jeffery

Official crowd: 46,792 at Telstra Dome

David Armitage shakes a tackle from Bomber Brent Stanton

More Information

Official AFL Website of the
St Kilda Football Club