First quarter: Gold Coast Suns 3.3 (21) to Melbourne 1.3 (9)
The Suns started strongly when Tom Lynch kicked the first for the match.
By the 16-minute mark, Gold Coast had three on the board and an 18-point lead.
After hitting the post from a tough angle early on, Jack Watts opened Melbourne’s account at the 23-minute mark.
He converted after marking a brilliant pass from Billy Stretch, who had two bounces along the Great Southern Stand side wing, before hitting Watts inside 50.
It proved to be Melbourne’s only major for the term and at the first change, the visitors led by 12 points.
Second quarter: Melbourne 6.6 (42) to Gold Coast Suns 4.6 (30)
After a sluggish start, Melbourne hit back strongly in the second term.
The red and blue booted five goals to one, leading by 12 points at half-time.
Watts kicked his second to start the term, as Aaron vandenBerg landed two for the quarter.
Chris Dawes, who put Melbourne in front for the first time at the 14-minute mark, and Dean Kent also kicked majors.
Lynch was Gold Coast’s only contributor for the quarter – at the 19-minute mark – landing his second for the day.
Third quarter: Melbourne 7.10 (52) to Gold Coast Suns 6.8 (44)
It was tough going for both teams in the third term, with Melbourne having one more scoring shot, but managing 1.4 to 2.2.
In fact, Melbourne didn’t post its only major until after the three quarter-time siren when vandenBerg registered his third.
But it had the last three scoring shots of the term, with Watts and Bernie Vince posting behinds in time-on.
The Suns booted their two goals, courtesy of Brandon Matera and Matt Shaw.
At three quarter-time, Melbourne led by eight points.
Final quarter: Melbourne 9.12 (66) defeated Gold Coast Suns 9.10 (64)
Christian Petracca kicked the first goal of the final term, giving Melbourne a 14-point lead – its biggest lead of the match.
But when Gold Coast’s Jarrod Garlett added his second, it was the start of three in a row for the Suns.
Jarrad Grant’s brilliant dribble goal from the pocket at the 14-minute mark put the visitors back in front for the first time since midway through the second quarter.
But it was a remarkable final few minutes, when the last goal of the match was kicked by Watts – his third for the day – giving Melbourne a two-point victory.
Lynch had the opportunity to win the game for the Suns after the final siren, yet his difficult set-shot kick from just outside 50 metres on the boundary just fell short. It would’ve been a remarkable goal, but Melbourne held on for its eighth win of the season – its best effort in five years.
