CARLTONhas broken a six-game drought to claim its third win of the season, hanging onto beat the Western Bulldogs by 10 points at the MCG.

The Blues kicked eight goals in the third quarter and sevenin the first, winning 21.12 (138) to 19.14 (128) and continuing to stampthemselves as one of the competition’s more potent sides.

But they had to withstand a fierce assault in the finalterm, the Western Bulldogs closing to within a point before Marc Murphy sealedthe win.

The Blues trailed by 15 points at half-time in a match thatbegan as a breakneck shootout and evolved into a more traditional contest.

They conceded the first goal of the third term to slip 22points behind, but then kicked five goals in nine minutes, adding three morebefore three-quarter time to break open a 19-point lead.

But the questions posed in the last six weeks resurfaced inthe fourth term, as the Bulldogs answered Jarrad Waite’s opener with threestraight goals.

The Dogs then had the chance to erase the Blues’ leadcompletely, but Daniel Cross and Ryan Hargrave fluffed chances inside 50.

Carltonhad been expected to pose the Bulldogs problems with their tall forwards, butit was 184cm Matthew Lappin who proved the game-winner. Lappin kicked fourgoals in the third quarter and five for the match, with Brad Fisher popping upwith three goals in support.

Andrew Carrazo was also superb for the victors, collecting37 touches and a whopping 10 tackles.  

The opening quarter resembled a gun battle, with 14 goals onthe board and 13 individual goalkickers by the first break.

Murphy and Lance Whitnall goaled for Carlton inside the first three minutes, butthe Bulldogs hit back through skipper Brad Johnson and Nathan Eagleton, thegame’s only multiple goalkickers to half time.

The margin did not exceed two goals until the Bulldogs easedaway after the break with consecutive goals to Daniel Giansiracusa and RyanGriffen.

Carltondid well to hold their own in the second quarter as the 10th-placed Dogs triedto shift gear. Late goals to Fisher and Adam Bentick kept the margin tight, butJohnson’s third goal deep in time-on hurt the underdogs.

In an encouraging sign for the Blues, full-forward BrendanFevola kicked just one of their 21 goals.

With the Sydney Swans’ success over the Bulldogs at ManukaOval last week, it must have been tempting for the Blues to try to stifle theDogs’ running midfielders.

But Denis Pagan maintained his commitment to attacking footy,opting to take on Rodney Eade’s Bulldogs at their own game.

The first quarter would have reminded many Blues fans of theround five match against the Brisbane Lions, in which Carlton led 14.8 to 13.1 at half time.

In that match, the Lions powered away in the second half,shutting down Carlton’sforward targets while adding eight more goals themselves.

After conceding the first goal of the third term to theBulldogs’ Adam Cooney, the Blues began to play like men determined not to lethistory repeat itself.

Matthew Lappin – the shortest of the Blues forwards – kickedthree goals in just four minutes on Jordan McMahon, and Fisher swiftly addedtwo more as Carltonturned a 22-point deficit into a 17-point lead.

Young guns Murphy and Bryce Gibbs were instrumental in theturnaround, and in the final quarter as the Blues withstood a fierce Bulldogs assault.

Murphy added three tackles to his 18 touches, with the second of his two goals effectively sealing the result in the final minutes.

Gibbs was less prolific but prominent when the Blues needed him to stand up.

Defender Joe Anderson left the ground in the third quarterwith hamstring trouble.

Carlton    7.2  10.5 18.8   21.12 (138)

Western Bulldogs    7.3  12.8  14.13  19.14(128)

GOALS

Carlton: Lappin 5, Fisher 3, Waite 3, Murphy 2, Walker, Bentick, Whitnall, Blackwell, O'hAilpin, Fevola,Scotland, Bannister

Western Bulldogs: Johnson 3, Eagleton 2, Giansiracusa2, Cooney 2, Higgins 2, Hahn, Gilbee, Power, Griffen, Akermanis,Hargrave, Robbins, Street

BEST

Carlton: Carrazzo, Bannister, Lappin, Waite, Murphy, Fisher, Thornton

Western Bulldogs: Cooney, Harris, West, Cross

Umpires: H Kennedy M Stevic DWoodcock

Official Crowd: 37,535 at the MCG