ST KILDA                         1.5   3.7   5.9   7.14  (56)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   1.3   3.4   7.7   9.8   (62)

By MATTHEW BALMER

The contest yielded just 16 goals for the match, however it was a fast finishing St Kilda led by captain Nick Riewoldt that nearly stole the match from the Bulldogs.

St Kilda had all the play for the last 15 minutes of the final quarter after Lukas Webb gave the Bulldogs a 21 point lead.

Goals to Riewoldt and Josh Bruce gave St Kilda a chance at again snatching the four points – as they did in Round 6 this year, where they came from 55 points behind to steal the win from the Dogs.

However, crucial misses from Jack Lonie inside the goal square and David Armitage from 33 metres out saw the Saints unable to grab the match.

Seb Ross sparked a St Kilda revival in the last quarter, coming on as the substitute and collecting 11 disposals.

St Kilda will be ruing their chances in a match they should have won, with crucial turnovers inside their defensive 50m costing them on the scoreboard.

A frustrated St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said he hoped St Kilda could improve their kicking for the clash against Essendon next week.

“It’s very hard to defend when you kick it straight to them,” Richardson said. “Turnovers were very costly, that was frustrating.”

With both sides defending the corridor heavily, a low-scoring scrappy first half saw just six goals between the two teams, with the Saints taking a marginal three-point lead at half-time.

The beginning of the third-quarter started in a rush, with two goals kicked in two minutes by Saint Josh Bruce and Bulldog Tom Boyd. But it was the Bulldogs who were able to open up the corridor, kicking four goals to two to lead by 10 points at three-quarter-time.  

Easton Wood continued his fine form of 2015, continuing to put his name up for All Australian contention with 22 disposals. Wood was classy, with 13 marks, nine spoils and six rebound 50s setting up the Bulldogs from their defence.

“Some of Easton’s work was off the charts. His timing is impeccable,” Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said.

With the Bulldogs finding themselves in the top eight, Beveridge stressed how important the win was for the side.

“It was a meaningful win. We are a really young side,” he said. 

The Bulldogs have an important clash at Etihad Stadium next Saturday night against an improving Carlton side. While St Kilda also appear at Etihad Stadium, against Essendon on Sunday.

THE WRAP-UP

GOALS
St Kilda: Bruce 3; Riewoldt 2; Minchington; Weller;
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli; Johannisen; Grant; T Boyd; Dickson; Picken; Dale; McLean; Webb

BEST
St Kilda: Montagna, Armitage, Riewoldt, Steven, Newnes, Ross
Western Bulldogs: Wood, M Boyd, Macrae, Wallis, Murphy, Johannisen

INJURIES
St Kilda: Sam Fisher (back) replaced in side by Luke Delaney
Western Bulldogs: None

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Seb Ross replaced Darren Minchington at three-quarter-time
Western Bulldogs: Lukas Webb replaced Will Minson at three-quarter-time

REPORTS
St Kilda: None
Western Bulldogs: None

UMPIRES: Jordan Bannister, Brendan Hosking, Jacob Mollison

OFFICIAL CROWD: 26,511 at Etihad Stadium