Suns break Bombers hearts with Mac Andrew goal after the siren in ...

Essendon’s late-season capitulation is complete after a Mac Andrew shot after the final siren delivered Gold Coast a heart-stopping one-point victory at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

After suffering recent losses against bottom-five Adelaide and St Kilda with their finals hopes on the line, the Bombers delivered the coup de grace to their disappointing finish to the year by losing to the bottom-six Suns 13.9 (87) to 12.14 (86).

The result ended the Suns’ horrific 17-game losing streak on the road and if there was one team that they were going to break that infamous drought against, it just had to be the Bombers, who have crashed out of the finals frame in ignominious fashion.

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For the second year in a row, after sitting in the top five late in the piece, Essendon has capitulated to throw its top-eight hopes down the gurgler.

Adding salt to the wound for the Bombers was the fact that they had victory well within their grasp in the final quarter, but a diabolical 1.9 prevented from shutting the door on the Suns, and after taking a spectacular pack mark with 20 seconds left, Andrew made Essendon pay the heftiest of prices.

Jake Stringer (three behinds) and Sam Draper (two) were the main culprits for the Bombers after three-quarter time.

Andrew played the role of pantomime villain in the second half, after being one of the chief antagonists in a wild all-in brawl at half-time, but the chorus of boos he copped whenever he got near the ball only seemed to fuel him as he booted three of his four majors after the main break.

In ugly scenes, Essendon fans threw drinks bottles on the ground after the Andrew kicked the match-winner.

As they do so often, the Bombers won the inside-50 count 62-51, but their appalling goalkicking — especially in the crucial final quarter — brought them unstuck as the Suns cleaned them up in contested possessions, 146-132.

Matt Rowell was absolutely sensational for the Suns with 33 disposals (21 contested), nine clearances and seven tackles, while Sam Flanders (22 touches and two goals) and Sam Clohesy (23 possessions) were also pivotal to the result in a seesawing match that featured eight lead changes.

The Bombers were best-served by Nic Martin (36 touches) and Zach Merrett (32), while Nate Caddy (three) and Draper (three) combined for six goals.

— with NCA NewsWire’s Ronny Lerner.

ESSENDON vs. GOLD COAST SUNS — AS IT HAPPENED

Gold Coast made a late change, excluding Lloyd Johnston, with Sean Lemmens replacing the lively forward. Veteran David Swallow is the substitute.

For Essendon, the returning Hobbs has been named the substitute.

Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders snapped the first goal of the evening.

“Alarm bells already for the Bombers, when you look at the contested possession game — 10-2 in favour of the Suns,” dual premiership player David King told Fox Footy’s broadcast.

After a nervy wait, Jye Menzie kicked Essendon’s first goal of the evening. Nate Caddy added its second major soon after.

Nick Holman snapped a terrific goal from a difficult angle, but the Bombers stayed in touch to trail by a single point at quarter-time.

Matt Rowell has led the way for Gold Coast, notching 10 disposals, nine contested possessions and four clearances by just quarter-time.

“He’s a brute around clearance, we know that ... 60 per cent of his ball comes (at contests),” King noted at quarter-time.

Essendon snagged the first goal of the second quarter via an improbable bouncer from Jye Caldwell.

Ruckman Sam Draper followed that up with “one of the goals of the year”, opening up an 11-point lead for the Dons.

It was five goals to three in Essendon’s favour in the second quarter after back-to-back-to-back three-goal swings, with the Bombers taking an 11-point buffer into the main change.

Sparks flew at the end of the second quarter, with the two sides coming to blows — Ben King appeared to get things started before Mac Andrew threw one or two of his own.

“Now it’s starting to really heat up!” said Fox Footy caller Mark Howard.

The sides kept going goal-for-goal in the third quarter, with a Jed Walter snap getting the Suns within two points. Soon after, the Suns hit the front in concerning signs for the unconvincing Bombers.

After taking a four-point lead into the final change, the Bombers kicked the first goal of the final term through Archie Roberts.

However, a skillful Sam Flanders dribbler tied things back up at 81 just over halfway through the final term.

Four Bombers behinds had Brad Scott’s men up by four with four minutes left in the game. Can they hold on?

Jade Gresham looked to have kicked a sealing goal but was adjudged to have pushed the Suns defender in the back! What drama. Under two minutes left.

Mac Andrew marks incredibly and goals after the siren! Absolutely unbelievable scenes at Marvel Stadium! Damien Hardwick finally gets his Marvel Stadium win!

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