CARLTON is the latest team to fall to the Western Bulldogs' mid-season resurgence, losing by 27 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
 
The Bulldogs kicked 14.12 (96) to 9.15 (69).

The win sees the Bulldogs just half a game outside the top eight while the Blues are now just two points ahead of West Coast as the fight for that crucial fourth spot continues.

Carlton's fourth loss of the season was further compounded by a groin injury to key forward Jarrad Waite late in the second term, as they struggled to find any avenues forward in his absence.

After the Blues opened up a 27-point lead midway through the second quarter on the back of two goals from 50m penalties, the Bulldogs fought their way back into the contest.

After seven unanswered goals from the Bulldogs, it took some magic from Marc Murphy on the wing midway through the third quarter to keep the ball alive before Mitch Robinson kicked truly to record the Blues' first goal since the seven-minute mark of the second term.

QUARTER BY QUARTER
FIRST QUARTER
A tense opening term saw just two goals apiece to both sides. Dreadlocked Bulldog forward Luke Dahlhaus setting up Barry Hall to get their first. It took 17 minutes for Carlton to find their opening goal but back-to-back majors to Simpson and Ellard had the Blues in front.
A late goal to Bulldog tall forward Liam Jones cut the margin to just three points at quarter-time.Carlton by three points

SECOND QUARTER
Carlton burst out of the blocks with four quick goals, to lead by 27 points after just ten minutes, two of which were a result of controversial 50 metre penalties. The Bulldogs then responded with four of their own, thanks to a brilliant dribble goal to Barry Hall and a sliding soccer goal to Ryan Griffen cutting the margin to two points at the main break. Carlton by two points

THIRD QUARTER
A ferocious start to the second half saw some big tackles laid as both teams tried to gain the upper hand. Andrew Hooper finished off a classy move by the Bulldogs to put them in front for the first time and when Cooney goaled on the run they were suddenly out by nine. Mitch Robinson pegged one back for the Blues with a great running goal from 50, but the quarter belonged to the Bulldogs as they led by 16 points going into the last quarter.
Western Bulldogs by 16 points

FOURTH QUARTER
The sixth 50 metre penalty of the match led to a Bulldogs goal to Ryan Griffen. Carlton failed to find a way forward as the Bulldogs pressure kept them at bay. A poor kick out of defence set up Josh Hill but he failed to put the game beyond doubt. Walker then goaled and the Blues had a sniff, but when Hall put through his fourth the game was over. Western Bulldogs by 27 points

Match details

Western Bulldogs      2.4      6.7     11.9    14.12  (96)
Carlton                       2.7      6.9      8.11     9.15  (69)
GOALS - Western Bulldogs: Hall 4, Griffen 2, Hooper 2, Gilbee, Ward, Cooney, Jones, Dahlhaus, Giansiracusa
Carlton: Simpson 2, Murphy, Gibbs, Robinson, Betts, Joseph, Ellard 

BEST - Western Bulldogs: Cooney, Dahlhaus, Hall, Boyd, Hudson, Ward, Williams
Carlton: Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson, Robinson, Judd, Laidler

INJURIES - Western Bulldogs: Nil
Carlton: Andrew Carrazzo replaced in selected side by Aaron Joseph, Jarrad Waite (groin)

SUBSTITUTES - Western Bulldogs: Sam Reid replaced by Josh Hill in the third quarter
Carlton: Jarrad Waite (groin) replaced by Jordan Russell in the second quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Nicholls, Chamberlain, Meredith

Official crowd: 38, 582 at Etihad Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.