THE FAIRYTALE end wasn’t to be foroutgoing Melbourne coach Neale Daniher after his side fell two pointsshort of a farewell victory when it lost to Essendon, 18.11 (125) to18.15 (123), in one of the most remarkable games this season.

After Essendon jumped the Dees to leadby six goals early in the game Melbourne worked its way back into thematch, and looked to heading for victory when it led by three goalslate in the game.

But, it wasn’t to be for Daniher andhis brave band of troops who somehow lost the unloseable when ScottLucas ran into the open goal with 10 seconds remaining to stealvictory.

The game couldn’t have started anymore disastrously for Melbourne. By the 15-minute mark the Bombershad piled on five goals to one en route to eight to two in a lopsidedromp that had the flat and lifeless Demons on the back foot.

Melbourne’s problems were many. Inthe ruck Jeff White was having all sorts of problems controllingJason Laycock while at ground level Brock McLean, Cameron Bruce andNathan Jones were being led a merry dance by their direct opponents.

Down back the Demons were forced to reshuffle when Daniel Bell limpedoff early with a badly corked thigh. Bell had been assigned Lucas,with the job then going to Clint Bizzell who conceded two goals tothe Bomber star in as many minutes.

Nathan Carroll was having evenless luck with  Matthew Lloyd who notched his 800th career goal at the21-minute mark.

While it might be too late for Daniherat Melbourne, whatever the coach said to his charges at the firstchange had the desired effect.

The Demons kicked seven of the openingeight goals of the second term and at the 26-minute mark had thechance to hit the front – having trailed by 37 points at the firstbreak – when Aaron Davey missed a relatively easy shot from theforward pocket.

Everything the Dees had not done in thefirst term, they did in the second. The run, aggression and passionfor the contest that was so evident in wins over Adelaide andCollingwood, returned.

Skipper David Neitz kicked two goals,both on his left foot, while Colin Sylvia and Davey provided theground level support. In the middle James McDonald, Brad Green, Bruceand Jones lifted, both around the ground, and at the all-importantstoppages.

It was only three Essendon goals infour minutes to end the second term, including one after the siren toJason Laycock from near the boundary, that pushed the margin back outto 19 points at the half.

However, given the quarter-timedeficit, the Dees had a sniff.

That sniff became a decided stench whenRussell Robertson, who had just two possessions in the opening half,kicked two goals in four minutes to start the second half, includinga dribble goal off the ground from 30 metres out.

When Sylvia added another at theeight-minute mark the Dees, for the first time since the openingbounce, were in front.

But, the Bombers kept coming.

So did the Dees as the likes ofMcDonald, McLean, Robertson, who kicked three in the third term to beinstrumental up forward, Bruce, Nathan Brown and Jones showed realgrit to keep a tiring Essendon at bay.

At three quarter time tensions bubbledover after Lloyd was sat on his rump by Carroll after missing an easyshot after the siren.

With Essendon playing for finals andMelbourne for Daniher, it was the former who prevailed in the mostunbelievable of circumstances.

Melbourne led by 17 points at the20-minute mark on the back of a Davey goal and appeared to be home.

But when his brother Alwyn kicked agoal and Lucas added another the margin was just four points with twominutes remaining.

The heartbreak that has been season2007 for Melbourne continued when Lucas ran into an open goal with 10seconds remaining after the ball spilled over the back of a LeoBarry-Grand Final-like pack.

The heartbreak for Demons fans wasclearly visible as they rallied around Daniher on the ground afterthe game. It wasn’t the fitting end but one that nonetheless wouldhave made their coach proud.

ESSENDON   8.3  12.5  14.8  19.11 (125)
MELBOURNE  2.2   9.4  16.9  18.15 (123)

GOALS

Essendon: S Lucas 5 M Lloyd 4 J Laycock 2 A Lovett 2 A Davey 2 M McVeigh 2 J Hird A McPhee.
Melbourne: D Neitz 3 R Robertson 3 C Sylvia 2 A Davey 2 R Petterd 2 C Bruce S Godfrey D Ward T Johnstone M Bate M Newton.

BEST

Essendon: J Hird J Laycock S Lucas M Lloyd D Fletcher A McPhee.
Melbourne: J McDonald C Sylvia D Neitz T Johnstone A Davey R Petterd M Bate.

INJURIES

Essendon: Nil.
Melbourne: Neitz (knee), Green (knee), Bell (hamstring)

Reports: Nil.

Umpires: D Margetts S Grun S Ryan.