HAWTHORN has revived its top-four ambitions and dentedEssendon’s finals hopes, winning the traditional ‘line-in-the-sand’ match atthe MCG by 63 points.

The Hawks kicked six goals to none in the final term to shut out the Bombers in a scrappy game, winning 17.17 (119) to 7.14 (56).

Hawthorn badly needed a win after losing three of their last four and Lance Franklin responded, kicking four goals.

Key defenders Trent Croad and Campbell Brown were also outstanding for the winners, restricting Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas to a combined three goals.

The Bombers started strongly, but could only manage six behinds in the early rain.

After a bad turnover by Essendon as they tried to clear the ball out of defence, Franklin kicked the first goal of the game at 19 minutes.

Franklin also kicked the second as the Hawks went into quarter time leading four goals to nil.

Essendon did not kick their first goal until 15 minutes into the second term, when key defender Dustin Fletcher received a generous 50m penalty after a mark and kicked from long range.

The Bombers kicked two more goals to keep themselves in the game at half time as the Hawks led by 25 points.

Hawthorn increased their lead to 41 points at 19 minutes in the third quarter and the match looked over.

Essendon then kicked four of the next five to reduce the margin to 23 points at three-quarter time, to briefly suggest an unlikely comeback.

The Hawks received great service from returning duo SamMitchell and Lance Franklin, who were both late withdrawals from the side thatlost to the Kangaroos in Launceston last week.

Mitchell scorched the Bombers with 19 possessions in thefirst half, finishing with 29, alongside Jordan Lewis (30 touches) and Grant Birchall (28).

Brent Stanton worked hard for Essendon,finishing with 30 possessions and Dustin Fletcher was solid in defence with 26touches, but the Dons struggled up forward where Lloyd was theirleading goalkicker with just two.

Hawthorn                    4.4       7.9       11.11   17.17 (119)
Essendon                    0.6       3.8       7.12     7.14 (56)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 4, Roughead 3, Crawford 2, Dixon 2, Ladson 2, Bateman, Boyle, Gilham,Vandenberg
Essendon: Lloyd2, Fletcher, Lucas, Monfries, Peverill, Slattery

BEST
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Bateman, Brown, Croad, Birchall, Franklin, Crawford,Lewis
Essendon: Fletcher, Stanton

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Essendon: Gumbleton (late withdrawal) replaced in selected side by A Monfries

Reports: Nil

Umpires: R Chamberlain M Ellis K Nicholls

Officialcrowd: 55,019 at the MCG