In one of the best games of the season so far, a late goal to Jaidyn Owen gave the Bulldogs a stirring 13.12 (90) to 13.8 (86) victory at Gardiner Reserve.

The improving Bulldogs have now beaten both the Hawks and Golden Square – two teams in the top three – in their past five games.

Despite the win, the Bulldogs were unable to force their way back into the top five as they remain percentage outside in sixth position.

Other round 12 winners were Golden Square, Sandhurst, South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye. 

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Little separated the Bulldogs and Hawks all game, with the biggest margin at any of the breaks the four points Gisborne was in front by at half-time and the final siren.

“At no stage did any team get away and it went right down to the wire,” Gisborne coach Clinton Young said.

“We hit the front late in the game and were able to hold on in the last three minutes and it’s just fantastic for our boys to experience a win like this.”

The win on what was a Past Players and Officials Day at Gisborne that celebrated four previous premiership teams was a strong response from the Bulldogs to a 75-point hiding from Strathfieldsaye the previous round.

“We’ve had a couple of weeks to re-group from that Strath game and go again against another high quality opposition and it was a great team effort,” Young said.

Forward Owen kicked the match-winning goal from a mark 20m out after the Bulldogs transitioned the ball from defence.

“There was still about three minutes left after the goal and we were able to slow the game down, take some marks around the ground and keep Eaglehawk at bay,” said Young, who returned to the side from a calf injury.

Having earlier been 1-4 after a slow start to the season, the victory improved the Bulldogs’ record to 7-5 – the most wins they’ve had in a season since they last played finals in 2014.

“I don’t think at the start of the year there would be many people thinking we’d be in the position where we’ve beaten the teams we have,” Young said.

“The belief in the group is really growing and today is proof that if the boys all play their role, we can really take it up to the better teams.”

The Bulldogs’ two best players were key midfielders Ethan Minns and Matt Goodyear (two goals).

“It was a tight, contested game all day and they were both fantastic in the middle,” Young said.

“Josh Grabham, who is only two years into his football career coming off a basketball background, was also fantastic in the ruck and was really physical for us.”

The Hawks’ best players were led by Brenton Conforti, who had the job on Young, hard-working on-baller Jesse Collins (two goals) and Jack Fallon off half-back.

Both teams had players reported and sent off in the third quarter – Riley Paterson for Gisborne and Sam Thompson for Eaglehawk.

The Hawks lost Dylan Hanley to concussion early in the game.