The pressure has lifted off the shoulder of Essendon coach Matthew Knights (for a week at least) following the Bombers emphatic 43 point win over 2008 AFL Premier Hawthorn at the MCG in AFL Round 6 on Saturday night.

After the Bombers insipid performance at the same venue 6 days earlier against Collingwood on ANZAC Day, the 1-5 Hawks were heavily favoured to condemn the 1-5 Bombers to another loss, however it was the Bombers that jumped out of the gates to win 15.16 (106) to 9.9 (63).

Skipper Jobe Watson along with Jason Winderlich, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Brent Stanton, Brent Prismall and Andrew Welsh dominated the midfield while Michael Hurley booted 4 goals up forward.

The win moves the Bombers to 2-4 from six matches and a home match against Port Adelaide (a team they have not beaten since 2004), at Jihad Stadium next Saturday afternoon in AFL Round 7.

Hawthorn opened the scoring with a goal to Michael Osborne, but the Bombers then piled on the next five and open a 23 point lead at the first break.

Hawk forward Lance Franklin began to stamp his mark on the game in the second quarter with three of the Hawks four goals of the term, and after a late bump on Clinton Young by Bomber ruckman David Hille just before half time, saw the Hawks back to 10 points at half time after a 50m penalty and goal and Hille’s name in the umpires report book.

The opening two second half goals to the Bombers saw their lead back to 23 before maggot Scott McLaren tried his best to get the Hawks back into the contest with a dubious goal to Franklin after Henry Slattery was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind, the first time that rule has been enforced this season. Franklin added his fifth for the night less than a minute later and the difference was back to 12 points heading into the last term.

Alwyn Davey kicked the first of the final term six minutes in, but the game was sealed when David Hille goaled with eight minutes remaining as the Bombers held the Hawks scoreless in the final term fort the first time since 1949 and ran away comfortable 43 point winners after a 4.7 to nil last quarter.

“I don’t think we’re back on track,” coach Matthew Knights said after the match. “We had some small victories tonight in the way we played … but it’s one win. It’s been probably a tough five or six weeks for both clubs, so we’re just thankful we won tonight and go to that 2-4 record.”