An Adam McPhee behind with 18 seconds left in the match was enough to get the Bombers over the line in their opening NAB Cup clash against the Bulldogs at the Phone Dome on Friday night.

The Bombers squandered a three goal lead during the final term, but a Matthew Lloyd poster with less than two minutes to play drew the scores level and allowed McPhee’s score to avoid extra time.

Andrew Lovett and Courtenay Dempsey were in fine touch for the Bombers with 22 touches each while Jay Nash (26) and Jobe Watson (26) were also prominent ballwinners.

Essendon will now play the Brisbane Lions for a place in the NAB Cup Semi-Finals in two weeks time.

NAB CUP ROUND 1

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 1.1.2, 1.3.7, 1.5.9, 1.8.12 (69)
ESSENDON: 0.2.3, 0.5.4, 1.7.8, 1.8.13 (70)

SUPER GOALS: Bulldogs: Grant
Essendon: Atkinson
GOALS: Bulldogs: Johnson 4, Ward, Stack, Skipper, Eagleton
Essendon: Neagle 2, Skipworth 2, Jetta 2, Gumbleton, Houli
BEST: Bulldogs: Higgins, Boyd, Gilbee, Johnson, Morris, Grant, Addison
Essendon: Watson, Lovett, Nash, Skipworth, Dempsey, Neagle, Fletcher
INJURIES: Bulldogs: Nil
Essendon: Nil
UMPIRES: Keating, Wenn, Hendrie, Vozzo
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 35,123 at Telstra Dome