Collingwood rebounded from last week’s loss to Port Melbourne with a 28-point win over Essendon at Victoria Park on Saturday.
After conceding four of the game’s first five goals, the Magpies rallied to record a 16.10 (106) to 12.6 (78) victory in front of a healthy crowd at the club’s spiritual home.
Alex Fasolo led the way with four goals for the hosts.
Essendon has proven to be something of a bogey team for the Pies in VFL clashes in recent years and the early signs weren’t promising.
“We just couldn’t get our hands on the ball,” was Collingwood academy coach Brad Gotch’s blunt assessment of the game’s opening passages.
“To go in not too far down at quarter time was a good result. We were able to regroup the players to say we’ve got to get back into the contest from a contested ball point of view.
Resurrect it they certainly did. Collingwood’s tackling pressure was markedly improved after the quarter-time break, forcing the Bombers into plenty of turnovers that led directly to attacking opportunities.
Gotch said the side’s team defence was the key in turning the tide of the game.
“Our main score source of the day was turnover. We just defended better as a group in the third quarter which gave us a few more turnover goals,” Gotch said.
The sprinkling of stardust needed to convert the excellent grunt work of the Magpies midfield and defence into scores came from familiar sources in Daniel Wells and Fasolo.
Gotch acknowledged Wells still had some work to do to force his way into the senior team, but the signs from the classy midfielder were promising.
“Anything Wellsy touched today was like gold,” Gotch said.
“He was a class above everyone with his disposal and his use of the ball inside 50.
Gotch said Fasolo’s all-around game impressed the coaching staff in addition to his scoreboard impact.
“Besides the glory of kicking the four goals, he was still competing aerially, and when the ball hit the deck his inferred pressure and tackling was what we need him to do,” Gotch said.
Collingwood has a VFL bye next weekend, before returning to action against Werribee on May 5.