Canberra has won three games in a row for the first time in club history with a gritty 22-point victory over the Brisbane Lions at UNSW Canberra Oval on Saturday.
A four-goal-to-none opening term set the tone for the Demons early, and they withstood a
The victory places the Demons in equal third on the ladder at the halfway point of the
The Demons led by 25 points at quarter-time and kept the Lions goalless until Ben Sloan broke the drought at the nine-minute mark of the second.
Canberra extended its lead to 35 at half-time, and the margin blew out to a game-high 40 points during the third after a Tom Faul major.
But the Lions found some momentum, outscoring the Demons 3.4 to 2.3 in the third quarter to crawl back to 28 points at the final change.
Consecutive goals to start the final term reduced the margin to just 15 points, but Canberra steadied to notch up their fifth win of the year thanks to Ben Fulford’s third goal.
The Lions appeared to lose Tom Bell to injury in the first term with the star midfielder not coming back on to the field after the first break.
Ryan Bastinac (32 disposals, six clearances), and Rhys Mathieson (28 disposals, eight clearances, two goals) were among their best players.
Canberra’s next test will be against NT Thunder at UNSW Canberra Oval next Saturday night, while Brisbane has the bye.
Canberra Demons v Brisbane Lions at UNSW Canberra Oval
CANBERRA 4.2 6.6 8.9 9.12 (66)
BRISBANE 0.1 1.1 4.5 6.8 (44)
GOALS – Canberra: B Fulford 3 T Faul 2 A Swan 2 M Hardie J Powell. Brisbane: R Mathieson 2 B Sloan L Dawson C Franks E Hunt.
BEST – Canberra: A Smout I Taylor S Martyn M Maguire A Baker A Swan. Brisbane: J Kennealy T Matthews R Bastinac R Mathieson M Hinge C Franks.
