The Northern Bullants have weathered a persistent challenge from bottom-placed Frankston to emerge hard-fought victors by 16 points at Frankston Oval at the weekend.

In what doubled as Ryan Houlihan’s comeback match after a long lay-off with a calf complaint, the visitors established what proved an unassailable lead in the second quarter, with a 6.3 to 2.2 return and Houlihan prominent in his first half of football for the season.

Though the Dolphins hit back hard with a 7.3 to 1.1 third quarter, the Ants were able to tough it out, with Wayde Twomey and Zach Tuohy prominent in the struggle.

Northern Coach Darren Harris said his players battled to counter Frankston’s pre-game tactic of getting serious numbers at the stoppages, and only really found room in that critical period before half-time.

Now second-placed with just a game and percentage separating it from ladder leader Port Melbourne, Northern now readies for Saturday’s match with Werribee at Chirnside Park.

The Northern Bullants will confront Claremont in the quarter-final stage of the 2011 Foxtel Cup on Saturday, June 11, at Metricon Stadium - the day before Carlton’s match with Brisbane at Etihad Stadium.

Semi-final matches will be staged over the weekends of July 9 and July 16 with the Grand Final scheduled for Saturday, August 6.

Northern                      1.1   7.4   8.5   12.10 (82)

Frankston                    1.2   2.4   9.7     10.6 (66)

Goalkickers. Northern Bullants: Hampson, Houlihan, Marcon, Thomas  2, Henderson, Iacobucci, Lincoln, Saad.

Best Players: McCorkell, Iacobucci, Twomey, Tuohy, Thomas.