Dubbo Demons suffer one-point AFL Central West loss to Bathurst Giants

When the full-time siren sounded in Saturday's Tier 1 clash between the Demons and Bathurst Giants, the South Dubbo Oval scoreboard showed both sides finished the match with 44 total points to their name.

But after the goal umpires conferred with one another after the siren it was determined the scoreboard was incorrect and the Giants had finished the match one point ahead.

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That led to big celebrations from the Giants, who had played out the entire match without any substitutes and had managed to turn around a 107-point thrashing the Demons had handed them just two rounds earlier.

"They should be sticking wanted posters of our team up around Dubbo because we stole that one," Giants coach Mark Kennedy said.

"The scoreboard said it was a draw, and I would have been happy with that because that's a 100-point turnaround from the last time we went up there to play them.

"For us to go over there again with just 16 players and no reserves - because we were split from our reserve grade team - and play out the four quarters with no rest was an amazing effort.

"For me to say it was an amazing effort would be understating this result."

The final confirmed score was 6.9.45 to 5.14.44 and that result moved the Giants level with the Demons in second spot on the ladder behind the Bathurst Bushrangers.

The Demons were well-placed early in the match and led at every break.

After leading by seven after the first quarter, the Demons extended the advantage to two goals by the main break.

A strong third quarter from the hosts threatened to take the game right away from the Giants, who trailed by 19 heading into the final term.

Some reassuring words from one of their leading players and the ability to build momentum early in the fourth quarter then proved decisive.

"We were down by three goals going into the last quarter and there were a couple of comments from Nic Broes who said that we just need to slow the ball down and control it a bit better," Kennedy said.

"Our style of play is that we play on and go but it just wasn't working for us. That helped us settle in the final quarter and we were able to kick two goals straight away.

"You could see the feeling around the playing group change and you could see the confidence grow. There were a few nail biting moments over the last 10 minutes where the ball was going end to end but there were no scores, then it was a rushed behind that got us home at the end."

Isaac Heath and Joe Hedger each kicked two goals for the Demons in the loss.

The Dubbo side is back at home next weekend for a clash with an Orange Tigers team which is yet to win this season.

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