NORTH Melbourne has survived a courageous fightback from Melbourne to re-enter the top eight, keeping its season alive with a 35-point win at the MCG on Sunday.
After letting a 34-point first-quarter lead slip, the Kangaroos faced some nervous moments against the rebuilding Demons before skipping away in the fourth term to win 19.13 (127) to 14.8 (92).
The Demons missed a golden opportunity to notch back-to-back wins for the first time this season, but they would be encouraged after playing some of their best football through the middle stages of the game.
With a 10-point lead at the final change, it was left to North Melbourne recruit Shaun Higgins to ignite his team with two fourth-quarter goals, including a classy left-foot snap that sealed the game.
The former Western Bulldog was best on ground by the final siren with 31 possessions (10 contested) and five inside 50s.
After sitting in 11th place after 13 games, the Kangaroos now sit in sixth – percentage ahead of seventh-placed Richmond – with five straight wins to their name.
They kicked 14 of their 19 goals in the first and fourth quarters.
For a period in the third term their season looked to be slipping away after the Demons' young stars asserted themselves on the MCG stage.
Jesse Hogan, who finished with four goals, was enormous through that period, taking courageous contested marks close to goal and working up the ground when required.
When Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney combined for back-to-back goals halfway through the third term the margin was only two points and the Demons' home crowd was roaring.
The Kangaroos responded, however, in an entertaining and free-flowing clash, led by goalkickers Lindsay Thomas (five), Jarrad Waite (three) and Ben Brown (two).
Midfielder Ben Cunnington (31 possessions) and ruckman Todd Goldstein (50 hit-outs) were also key players.
It was Higgins, however, who earned coach Brad Scott's praise post-match after one of his best games with his new club.
"He was fantastic. Wherever he played, whether it was midfield or forward, he's been an absolutely outstanding acquisition for us," Scott said.
"He's in career-best form and the players love him. He's a real leader on and off field.
"I thought he organised things really well and did what good leaders do and stood up when it mattered."
The Kangaroos burst out of the blocks with one of their best quarters for the season, kicking 7.4 and winning the first eight centre clearances to keep the ball going their way.
Melbourne's leading centre clearance player, Nathan Jones, was kept to just two possessions by run-with player Ben Jacobs, and key forwards Brown, Drew Petrie and Waite looked dangerous.
The pattern for the match looked set, but the job clearly wasn't done as the Demons came out in the second term with renewed vigour, led by Hogan and Chris Dawes, who finished with three goals.
It could have been enough to see the Kangaroos surrender, but they recognised the stakes and responded when they needed to, kicking eight of the last 10 goals to cement an important win.
Melbourne coach Paul Roos said his team would have dropped off in the run home because of the energy they expended working back from a disappointing start.
"To see the second and third quarter is what we're really working towards on a more consistent basis and to do that against a high-quality team was good," he said.
"We know we've improved and today was a really good test for us, but you get disappointed in some of the vision that we see and some of the stuff that led to the seven-goals-to-two (first quarter)."
As well as Hogan and Dawes, Dom Tyson (24 possessions and seven clearances) and Viney (23 and nine) were superb for the Dees.
MELBOURNE 2.0 6.4 11.6 14.8 (92)
NORTH MELBOURNE 7.4 9.4 12.10 19.13 (127)
GOALS
Melbourne: Hogan 4, Dawes 3, Watts, Garlett, Viney, Brayshaw, N. Jones, Neal-Bullen, Gawn
North Melbourne: Thomas 5, Waite 3, Harvey 2, Brown 2, Higgins 2, Nahas 2, Petrie, Jacobs, Cunnington
BEST
Melbourne: VIney, Hogan, Dawes, Tyson, Brayshaw, Cross
North Melbourne: Higgins, Cunnington, Goldstein, Thomas, Waite, Harvey
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
North Melbourne: Brown (calf)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Alex Neal-Bullen replaced James Harmes at three-quarter time
North Melbourne: Aaron Mullett replaced Ben Brown at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Stephens, McInerney
Official crowd: 30,695 at the MCG
