Gold Coast let lead slip as Western Bulldogs storm home in Ballarat

GOLD Coast was licking self-inflicted wounds on Saturday night after leaving the door ajar for the Western Bulldogs to snatch a nine-point win in Ballarat.

Jack Martin was one of Gold Coast’s best in the loss.

GOLD Coast was licking self-inflicted wounds on Saturday night after leaving the door ajar for the Western Bulldogs to snatch a nine-point win in Ballarat.

The Suns had a narrow three-point lead at the final change but the Dogs dominated possession and field position in a 3.5 final quarter to run out winners 11.15 (81) to 10.12 (72) at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.

The Bulldogs went inside their attacking fifty 24 times to the Suns’ eight in the final term to reverse the trend of the previous three quarters.

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The Suns have now slipped to 3-4, with a tough fortnight ahead of them with matches against Melbourne at the Gabba and Port Adelaide in China before their bye and return to Metricon Stadium for the first time this year.

Although the final statistics suggest the Bulldogs were the better side on the day, Gold Coast controlled large phases of the match but could not capitalise on their chances and periods of dominance.

Gold Coast were successful in tidying up the turnovers that cost them so dearly against Adelaide last week and the focus on spreading from the contest to get uncontested possession in space paid dividends as they controlled the footy.

Dejected Suns players walk off the ground in Ballarat.

They had 38 more possessions and 10 inside 50s at half-time but led by just four points.

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew said he was proud his side had bounced back from last week’s shocker against the Crows but was disappointed they squandered their chances.

“We butchered it, no doubt,’’ he said.

“That’s when we talk about our effort – it was there, it was just that method and finish to get some reward for such hard work.

“We mentioned in the box at times that gee it was hard to score.

“The big boys presented well, it was just that ability to capitalise, that polish at the end.”

Stand-in captain David Swallow and fellow leader Touk Miller were again good players while Ben Ainsworth played his best game of the year.

Bulldog Jack Macrae gathered a staggering 40 possessions.

Jack Martin in action against the Bulldogs.

Although the Dogs started to win every aspect of the game in the final quarter, the frustration for the Suns was that their lead should have been much greater.

As he watched his side toil for little reward in the opening half, the fear for Dew was the failure to cash in on their chances would come back to haunt them and in a five-minute period midway through the second quarter, those fears became a reality.

At that stage their lead was a game high 26 points to eight.

Jason Johannisen, Billy Gowers and Patrick Lipinski kicked three goals in three minutes and when Lipinski kicked his second two minutes later, the Bulldogs were suddenly in front.

“We were our own worst enemies there, we allowed them in,’’ Dew said.

When the tide swung the Bulldogs way, they were able to take uncontested marks all over the ground.

They were particularly successful finding targets inside their forward 50, where they took 12 marks for the day to the Suns’ six.

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Originally published as Gold Coast let lead slip as Western Bulldogs storm home in Ballarat