GOLDEN Square's seven-goal final quarter burst got the Bulldogs home by 12 points over Castlemaine in a tight, low-scoring BFNL clash on Saturday.
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At a packed Camp Reserve the Magpies led at every change of ends, but their four goals in the last term weren't enough to secure victory.
Playing his 100th senior game co-captain Jayden Burke's third goal for Square late in the match sealed victory for the Bulldogs.
John Watson was on target for the Maine at the pavilion end, but time had run out and Square nailed its first win for the 2024 season: 11.12 (78) to the Maine's 9.12 (66).
The home side's playing coach Michael Hartley started the match off at full-forward then roamed further up the ground as the game unfolded.
He landed two minor scores in the opening term, but team-mates Jack Chester and Tyson Hickey were on target at the scoreboard end.
The Square started the match slowly, although with a touch over six minutes left in the opening term Jordan Rosengren's set-shot was right on line.
The low scoring continued on through the second and third quarters. Castlemaine managed just three more majors to three-quarter time with the Bulldogs' scoring identical - just three more major scores.
Finally, Hartley hit the scoreboard from a free kick. His second term shot from a tight angle at the clubrooms end sailed through.
The Square needed a lift and Burke ran into an open goalmouth at the scoreboard end with 21 minutes gone to notch just the second goal for the Dogs.
Just five goals for the match had been posted in a struggle of attrition by the long break and that trend rolled on in the third term.
Both clubs added just a couple of majors each after the long break, with Castlemaine's key position player Bailey Henderson landing a fine long shot from deep on the railway flank.
Square's Jayden Burke replied with an equally as accurate long kick and when Jack Stewart added another suddenly Golden Square had snatched a one-point lead: 4.8 to 4.7.
Enter Henderson one more time.
With just 47 seconds left on the clock he hauled in a fine grab, goaled and restored Castlemaine's lead by the three-quarter time break: 5.9 to 4.10.
But then everything altered completely. Square's Jack Stewart, Rosengren (2) and Ricky Monti all landed accurate shots before coach Hartley marked straight in front of goal for a Magpies' major.
The Hartley goal reduced Square's lead to just seven points and needed a follow-up Jack Chester shot to land full points - but he missed everything and the ball sailed out of bounds.
Jayden Burke outpaced two Maine defenders to snap his third major and when Jack Stewart also made it three goals for the day Castlemaine was gone.
A delighted senior coach Brad Eaton addressed his players in a packed visitors' rooms after the game with the Square set for a couple of big games in the next fortnight.
Kangaroo Flat and Gisborne await while the Maine plays Eaglehawk and Strath Storm.
