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Bulldogs beat North by one point in another AFL cliffhanger

Shaun Higgins of the Kangaroos  is run to ground by Marcus Bontempelli  at Etihad Stadium.

Shaun Higgins of the Kangaroos is run to ground by Marcus Bontempelli at Etihad Stadium. AAP / Julian Smith

The Western Bulldogs ended a losing streak with a one-point win over North Melbourne, dragged themselves back into the AFL top eight – and added one more installment to a weekend of classic matches and knife-edge thrillers.

The Bulldogs victory at Etihad Stadium was not without controversy.

The Kangaroos were denied a goal late in the match and also, potentially, at three-quarter time on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs took the honours 15.17 (107) to 16.10 (106), poor kicking for goal once again figuring as the bane of the reigning premiers.

It was the Bulldogs’ first win in three matches, and North’s fourth loss this season by a goal or less. It also followed hot on Essendon’s one-point heart-breaker at the SCG, where Sydney dashed the visitor’s hopes and hearts at the siren.

The Bulldogs led by 26 points 11 minutes into the last quarter, but North roared back with the last four goals of the match.

Ben Brown marked and scored to put them ahead, but the major was disallowed because of a free kick paid against the Kangaroos for a shepherd in the square.

North’s Shaun Higgins then levelled the scores with a behind.

The Bulldogs moved the ball down the other end, where Jake Stringer marked on the boundary.

He kicked a behind with about a minute left and the Bulldogs hung on grimly for the win, putting them back in the top eight after a mid-season form slump that supporters can’t sure has ended after tonight’s performance.

The last-quarter blitz by the Kangaroos surprised the Bulldogs, who seemed unable to stem the tide until the last second.

Higgins also could have reduced the margin to only seven points at three-quarter time when he had a set shot at goal. But play-on was called when he took too long to take his kick and Stringer mowed him down with a tackle.

It was that sort of night for North with the umpires. The free kick count was 16-4 in favour of the Bulldogs at halftime and 26-13 for the match.

While the ‘Dogs had the rub of the green in the first half, North also paid for being second to the ball too often.

After an even start featuring three lead changes, the Bulldogs took control with three goals and led by 18 points at the first change. That went out to 27 in the second term and the Bulldogs looked set to take control.

But the last goal of the first half and five goals to three in the third term kept North in the game, with the margin back to 13 at the last change.

Marcus Bontempelli starred for the Bulldogs and Liam Picken kicked three goals, while North’s Ben Cunnington led their comeback with a massive last quarter that featured 12 disposals and two goals.

-AAP

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