Mercurial forward Brendan Fevola has put a summer of discontent behind him to help lift the Blues into the second round of the 2007 NAB Cup.

Fevola's five goals were critical in Carlton's thrilling four-point victory over Essendon at Telstra Dome on Saturday - 1.10.14 (83) to 1.9.16 (79).

The Blues led by as much as 34 points late in the second term before being gradually pegged back and, in the end, were lucky to hang on as Essendon surged hard in the tense closing minutes.

Mal Michael and Dustin Fletcher waxed on Fevola throughout the contest, but would have found the reigning Coleman Medallist a handful even if they'd double-teamed him. Fev's four goals to half-time included two from hands-in-the-back free kicks.

Nick Stevens put the disappointment of missing out on the club captaincy behind him to put in an excellent four-quarter effort and his final-term snap from 50 against the run of play was crucial in the Blues' win.Marc Murphy's reconstructed shoulder withstood a bone-crunching welcome from Fletcher in the opening minutes, but the youngster recovered to be one of the Blues' best - his outstanding tackling a feature of his 15 possession performance.

Operating up and down the corridor, Bryce Gibbs, Carlton's boom recruit, got some useful touches early without imposing himself on the match before being used on and off the bench in the second half.

For the Bombers, Jobe Watson who went head-to-head with Stevens for most of the match was effective also, while Angus Monfries bobbed up when his team needed him most with three goals.

The Blues started brightly and the first supergoal of the match was gifted to Carlton late in the first term. Unhappy to be whistled for shoving his hand in Eddie Betts' face, Mark McVeigh's angry protest to Steve McBurney earned him a 50 metre penalty to bring Betts within gimme range.

Thanks primarily to Fevola's brace, Carlton had doubled its 18-point quarter-time lead by late in the second term before Lloyd got on the scoresheet. Late opportunist goals to David Hille and Monfries brought the Bombers back to within 22 points at the long break.

Essendon's first-gamer, Bachar Houli, had been busy and creative and his example was embraced by a host of team-mates in the third term as the Bombers worked their way back into the contest.

Scott Lucas received a neat handball from Andrew Lovett in a classic set-play outside the 50 to launch a supergoal that set the Bombers alight. When Lloyd dobbed his second soon after, Essendon was right back in the match.

Monfries' two final term goals brought the Bombers' fans to their feet, but Carlton was able to hold on in a torrid finish.

CARLTON: 1.3.2, 1.6.7, 1.8.12, 1.10.14 (83)
ESSENDON: 0.1.5, 0.4.6, 1.6.12, 1.9.16 (79)

NINE-POINT GOALS:
Carlton: Betts
Essendon: Lucas

SIX-POINT GOALS:
Carlton: Fevola 5, Whitnall, Houlihan, Kennedy, Stevens, Lappin
Essendon: Monfries 3, Lloyd 2, Bradley, Hille, Winderlich, Davey

BEST
Carlton: Fevola, Stevens, Murphy, Scotland, Houlihan, Simpson
Essendon: Monfries, Watson Lovett, Houli, Lovett-Murray, Winderlich

INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
Essendon: Nil

UMPIRES: McBurney, Ryan, Bandy, Keating
CROWD: 28,568 at Telstra Dome