The Bulldogs had trailed by a solitary point after a fast-moving and entertaining first half, but were unable to nullify the Tigers’ fleet of hard-running and hard-tackling midfielders after the long break.

Wingman Chris Barry was in the best for Kyneton. He finished with a game-high three goals and was constantly involved in pushing the Tigers into attack.

Gisborne added four majors in the third term, but couldn’t get any closer than 22 points as the Tigers ran out winners 17.6 (108) to 12.9 (81).

The Bulldogs eased out to an early three-goal lead with Jaidyn Owen, Jack Scanlon and Callum Williamson all on target at the pavilion end.

Barry led the Tigers’ fightback as his flat low kick skimmed through at the creek end to leave the visitors just a point in arrears at the first break.

It was goal-for-goal in the second term with Ethan Minns, Owen and Liam Rodgers pushing the ball into attack for the Dogs, while skipper Josh Govan, Billy Mahony and Ethan Foreman were the Tigers’ standout in-and-under players.

Again when the siren rang to end the term just a single point separated the teams – this time with the Tigers marginally ahead.

But it was the third stanza onslaught of eight straight Kyneton majors which ultimately sank Gisborne.

Barry landed a fine running major, Foreman and centre half-forward Daniel Davie landed set shots and only late Gisborne majors to Shaun Comerford and Thomas Wood reduced the gap to a more manageable 22 points.

Early Kyneton goals to Max O’Sullivan and Rhys Magin had set the scene for the Tiger revival.

The Tigers cruised home with three goals to two in the final quarter as skipper Josh Govan capped off a fine game with his second major of the match.

The Bulldogs didn’t stop trying with captain Jarrad Lynch, playing his 150th game, trying hard to rally his side.

But they didn’t quite have the capacity to finish off forward moves with no player able to boot more than two goals.

Discussing his side’s third term turnaround Kyneton coach Luke Beattie said it had come “on the back of a fair old-school tongue-lashing at half-time.”

“We were really disappointed about the way we’d gone about our footy in the first half and the way we’d let the young Gisborne boys run and carry, their main asset.

“So on the back of that we had a frank conversation about where we were at so as a coach it was pleasing to see the result of that conversation we’d had at half-time.”

Gisborne coach Clinton Young said despite the final margin he thought it had been a close game throughout.

“We had a few lapses, obviously, in the third quarter which resulted in Kyneton goals and they kicked really straight all game.”