CARLTON has won the Interim Coach Cup in a thriller against arch-rival Essendon by five points on Sunday night.

It was a low-scoring, and at times scrappy spectacle, the Blues came back from a 23 point deficit in the second term to win 10.12.72 to Essendon’s 10.7.67 on King’s Birthday Eve at the MCG in front of a crowd of 76,745.

BOMBERS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats

The Bombers led for the first three quarters of the match, but after the half-time break, the Blues slowly chipped away at Essendon’s lead, taking the front for the first time at the one-minute mark in the final term. 

From there, the Blues extended their lead to 18 points, kicking the next four goals in a row.

But the young Bombers never gave in, fighting it out until the final siren with majors to Nate Caddy and Zach Reid putting them within a goal with less than 20 seconds remaining.

The Bombers were unable to get the final clearance, much to the relief of the Blues, making it four wins in a row under caretaker coach Josh Fraser.

Carlton kicked seven goals after half-time, led by spearhead full forward Ben McKay who kicked a game-high three goals.

Scuffles between the two sides broke out across the ground as tempers flared in the third term as the Blues began to bring back the lead, the Bombers going into their shells under the pressure.

The momentum of the game shifted after the main break coinciding with a masterful coaching decision to put Blues midfielder George Hewett onto Essendon’s Sam Durham.

Durham had been outstanding in the first half with 21 disposals next to his name, but with Hewett following his every move, the young Bomber’s impact was limited to nine disposals after half-time.

The Blues’ three goals in the third quarter put them back in the game and when they kicked the first four of the final term, it looked like game over.

In the dying moments of the game Harry McKay controversially took a mark 60 metres out and told the umpire he was having a shot on goal deliberately winding down the clock, with his kick eventually dropping 30 metres short.

But the final two goals to Caddy - who had had an 'almost' night - and Reid put the game in the balance with seconds remaining.

But it was too late, the Blues holding on to register their fifth win for the season.

Two rising stars go head to head
In a look to the future of these two clubs, the game produced the mouthwatering match-up of Blues young defender and round 12 Rising Star Harry Dean lining up on talented young Bombers forward Nate Caddy. In a battle that fans of these two clubs can look forward to for a long time, the two wrestled out the match in what was an even contest. Though Dean kept Caddy to just the one major, Caddy had a number of electric moments, whilst Dean was able to get his hands on the footy more with 15 disposals.

McKays kicking goals at both ends
Under interim coach Dean Solomon, Ben McKay has switched from defender to forward. In his second consecutive game up the scoring end, Ben McKay kicked two goals, whilst at the other end his identical twin Harry, kicked three of his own. It’s just the second time the two have played against each other at AFL level in their 11-year careers.

ESSENDON      2.3   6.3   7.4   10.7 (67)
CARLTON        1.2   3.7   6.10   10.12 (72)

GOALS
Essendon: McKay 2, El Achkar 2, Redman, Kondogiannis, Durham, Jones, Caddy, Reid
Carlton: McKay 3, Byrne 2, Kemp 2, Hewett, Ainsworth, Hayward

BEST
Essendon: Setterfield, Durham, McKay, Reid, Merrett
Carlton: McKay, Hewett, Newman, Smith, Walsh

INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
Carlton: Nil

Crowd: 76,745 at the MCG