A last gasp winning goal from Carlton rookie Nick Holman saw the Blues escape with a five-point victory over Bendigo Gold at Queen Elizabeth Oval yesterday.

Bendigo had not won a match in 27 attempts leading into yesterday and looked set to miraculously break their slump, until Holman marked and goaled from 20m out.

In a game which ebbed and flowed over the four quarters, the Blues found themselves ahead at the final siren after Bendigo led by nine points, 20 minutes into the last term.

After a tight opening 15 minutes of the game, the Blues wrestled the ascendancy in the contest thanks to the likes of Nick Graham and Nick Holman, who allowed Northern to get first use of the ball.

However, a 20-point lead was quickly pegged back late on by the Gold to see the lead reduced to just 8 at the opening break.

The majority of the game followed on with the precedent set in the opening term: the Blues found themselves with a three goal buffer on a number of occasions only for late Bendigo goals to force a contest.

The Blues got out to a four goal lead midway through the third term thanks to a goal from Tyson Thomas, and looked as though they would cruise to a relatively comfortable victory.

However, Bendigo typically came roaring back through Steven Stroobants (five goals) and Alik Magin, who used Paul Dirago as a stepladder in what was one of the marks of the year. 

An enthralling final term looked to be going the way of Bendigo, who kicked three of the first four goals after the last break with the majority at Queen Elizabeth Oval roaring their approval.

A free kick and goal to the excellent Matthew Watson brought the margin back to only three points late in the contest, but it seemed it was a case of too little, too late for the Blues.

Up stepped Nick Holman. Finding himself somehow unmanned inside a cluttered forward 50, Holman marked and converted with only seconds to spare.

The win was the third on the trot for the Blues after a run of four straight losses, and elevates them into the top eight.

While Holman’s goal was the clinching moment of the game, the defensive work of the likes of Watson, Dirago and Andrew McInnes were pivotal in the narrow victory.

It was a defensive effort which saw Bendigo score only 32 per cent of the time they went inside 50, compared to the Blues’ 60 per cent.

The likes of Magin, Jake Aarts and Daniel Toman loomed as the difference in a spirited Bendigo performance, which would’ve been their first victory since 2012 if not for the most dramatic of conclusions.

Nick Graham had a characteristically influential performance, while Luke Reynolds had arguably his best game in Northern Blues colours, finishing with 15 touches, eight marks and a goal.

The victory came at a cost, with Jaryd Cachia not appearing after half-time with a shoulder concern while the lively Ciaran Byrne seemed to injure his knee in the frantic final term.

Speaking post-game, Holman described the moment as surreal, especially given the goal was only his second of the year. 

“It was pretty nerve-wracking. I haven’t kicked many goals all year but I snuck down forward late on and managed to get the goal,” Holman said.

Holman said that despite the occasion, he didn’t believe he’d be take ‘the Iceman’ mantle of Luke Reynolds after his Round 2 heroics, given that “the siren hadn’t gone”.

Holman expressed his jubilation after the five point victory, but said there were inconsistencies that needed to be addressed ahead of the game against Geelong.

“We’re at an important part of the season so it’s crucial we kick on from here. 

“Geelong will provide a great challenge and if we are to play finals, we need to be playing consistent footy.”

The Blues will look to win their fourth game in a row next week, as they face the Cats next Sunday at Preston City Oval, commencing at 1pm.

BENDIGO GOLD                      4.1       7.2       11.5     14.  6.  (90)
NORTHERN BLUES                 5.3       8.5       11.8     14. 11. (95)

GOALS
BENDIGO: Stroobants 5, Magin 3, Toman 3, Aarts , Lukich , Collins
NORTHERN: Garlett 2, Byrne 2, Dufficy, Johnson, Graham, Watson, Wood, Cachia, Reynolds, Lucas, Thomas, Holman 

BEST
BENDIGO: Stroobants, Magin, Valles, Sketcher, Toman, Wallin
NORTHERN: Dirago, McInnes, Watson, Reynolds, Graham, Thomas