Saints win tough battle against Dockers

St Kilda won their biggest challenge of the season so far by beating high-flying
Fremantle by 15 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday night despite missing their two
key forwards.
The Saints were badly depleted in attack given Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke
were on the sidelines, but five goals each to Brendon Goddard and Stephen Milne
carried them to a 16.12 (108) to 14.9 (93) win.
St Kilda's win was their fourth straight and kept them top of the ladder, ahead of
the Brisbane Lions, who are the only other unbeaten side after round four.
Fremantle's defeat was their first of the season, but by no means a disgrace given
the Dockers were impressive for large periods of the game.
In a high-class, hard and even game, Fremantle led by one point at quarter-time,
scores were level at half-time and the Saints led by one point at the last change.
But Goddard and Milne gave St Kilda breathing space at the start of the last
quarter, which broke the game open.
First Goddard took a quick handball from Zac Dawson and goaled in the first minute
of the last term, before Milne marked on the lead and kicked a gimme after a
50-metre penalty from Greg Broughton's push.
Milne then produced the goal of the game, when he rolled through a dribbler from
deep in a pocket, which put the Saints 20 points clear.
Adam Schneider kicked St Kilda to a 25-point lead after getting a Milne handball and
although Fremantle kicked the last two goals, they could not finish as strongly as
they had in the first three rounds.
The efforts of Goddard and Milne adequately covered the absences of skipper
Riewoldt, who badly injured his hamstring in round three and is out indefinitely,
and Koschitzke, who was serving the last game of his three-game ban.
Midfielder Nick Dal Santo was also magnificent for the Saints and kicked two long
goals.
Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich booted five goals, including three in the third
quarter - one of them an inspiring major from 60 metres.
Adam McPhee also kicked one from long range 90 seconds later, which gave Fremantle a
seven-point lead and most of the momentum.
But Goddard, Milne and Andrew McQualter, with a nice goal on the run from 50 metres,
restored St Kilda's composure before they re-grouped at three-quarter time and then
burst away.
The Saints' other good players included back pocket Steven Baker, tagger Clinton
Jones, half-forward Jason Gram and defender Sam Gilbert.
For Fremantle, onballer Paul Duffield got plenty of the ball, Ryan Crowley did a
good job on star Saints midfielder Lenny Hayes, Stephen Hill had an impact with his
kicking and two goals and Aaron Sandilands again dominated the ruck.