NORTH Melbourne’s surge towards September has continued after it held off a fast-finishing Western Bulldogs by 20 points at Telstra Dome on Sunday to record its fifth consecutive win and made it two from two against the Western Bulldogs this season.

The Kangaroos 21.10 (136) defeated the Bulldogs 18.8 (116) to keep their outstanding recent record over the Dogs intact. The Roos have not lost to the Dogs since round eight, 2005.

Although North Melbourne remains in fifth position, the Roos remain right in contention to claim fourth spot, which the Sydney Swans currently hold. And with the Roos having claimed wins over Hawthorn and the Bulldogs in 2008, they would certainly not look out of place claiming the double-chance.

The Roos set up the win with a stunning first half, booting 11 goals to five. Early in the third term, they bolted out to a game-high 50-point lead, before the third-placed Bulldogs hit back with 13 goals to 10, giving the Kangas a fright.  

Without skipper Adam Simpson (hip), who was a late withdrawal with Shannon Watt coming back into the side, North Melbourne displayed plenty of grit early on to set up its 11th win of the season.

North Melbourne dynamo Brent Harvey gave his Brownlow Medal prospects another kick-along, with a best-on-ground performance, which included 27 disposals and three goals.

Brady Rawlings (a match-high 29 disposals) and Daniel Wells (26 touches) were also outstanding in the midfield, while Matt Campbell, Leigh Harding and Shannon Grant shone up forward with three goals each.

Western Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson was his side's best with five goals, 22 disposals and 11 marks, while Daniel Giansiracusa also lifted as the game went on to finish with 22 touches and three goals.

The early stages of the match were an intriguing tactical battle. Much of the play was centered in North Melbourne's forward 50, where zoning and match-up rotations dominated.

Eight minutes into the match, the first goal was registered via big man David Hale, who kick-started a dominant quarter for North Melbourne, as the Roos landed six of the first seven majors.

And when Harvey kept the ball alive from hitting the post, with a soccer kick, and then followed up to snap an absolute gem, North Melbourne was out to a 32-point advantage.

That was reduced back to 26 points at quarter-time, after Robert Murphy landed the Bulldogs' second just before the first break.

The Roos continued to hold sway in the second term, with five goals to three.

At the 21-minute mark, North Melbourne led by 44 points after Campbell kicked his second, but when Johnson became the Dogs' first multiple goalscorer, the half-time margin was reduced back to 38 points.

An outstanding one-handed mark by Drew Petrie and a brilliant run-down tackle by last round's NAB AFL Rising Star Gavin Urquhart on Bulldog Farren Ray were among the highlights of the term.

Early in the second half it appeared to be a case of how far the Roos after Campbell kicked his third and Ed Lower landed his first, giving North Melbourne a 50-point lead.

But the Bulldogs had other plans, sparking a revival with six of the next seven goals to reel the deficit back to just 18 points.

Yet when Nathan Thompson jagged his second after the three quarter-time siren, the Roos gained breathing space entering the final change, setting up a fascinating last term.

The final term became a shootout. The Bulldogs managed to outscore the Kangaroos with seven goals to six and when the Dogs landed three in a row in time-on, the margin was cut back to just 14 points at the 25-minute mark.

But when Shannon Grant kicked back-to-back goals minutes later, the Roos were back out to a 26-point lead and were home.

GOALS
North Melbourne: Campbell 3, Harding 3, Grant 3, Harvey 3, Thompson 2, Hale, Sinclair, Wells, Jones, Lower, McMahon, Thomas
Western Bulldogs: Johnson 5, Harbrow 3, Giansiracusa 3, Murphy 2, Hahn 2, Welsh, Cooney, Griffen

BEST
North Melbourne:  Harvey, Campbell, Rawlings, Wells, Grant, Harding
Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Murphy, Harbrow, Giansiracusa, Cross, Cooney

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Simpson (hip) out, replaced in selected side by Watt
Western Bulldogs: Hudson (back) out, replaced in selected side by Street

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Stevic, Hendrie

Official crowd: 31,957 at Telstra Dome