UTas Stadium was a scene of high drama with the third-placed visitors 25 points up with five minutes left on the clock, and many conceding the finals-like encounter was gone for the Northern Bombers. However, North rallied to boot three goals in as many minutes before Zach Burt was gifted the ball from a deliberate out of bounds call 10 metres out, hard on the boundary line.

Burt sent through his fourth major but as he converted the final siren sounded with the hosts down 18.3 (111) to 17.8 (110) and succumbing to their second-straight loss.

In a game that ebbed and flowed, the Southern Bombers’ midfield dominance and goal-kicking accuracy proved the difference – marching into a double bye with six victories on the trot.

Lauderdale had the better of North in the first term with skipper Bryce Walsh kicking two goals in the first 90 seconds.

The Northern Bombers were uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball as Walsh, Nat Franklin and Dylan Fyfe controlled the centre of the ground to give Lauderdale a 6.1 (37) to 3.1 (19) quarter-time lead.

With nine goals flying through in the first 30 minutes it was a much more subdued second term.

Lauderdale were held scoreless as North locked play in its forward half. Tom Bennett slotted through his first before Mark Walsh joined in with the second and last of the stanza – North cutting the deficit to two points.

The second half opened right up with the teams converting a combined 25 goals (12 in the third and 13 in the fourth) in a combative free-for-all that saw the lead change hands several times.

Bennett (six) and Burt (four) were shining lights for North while Ryan Wiggins, Alex Hevey and Walsh kicked three each for Lauderdale.

Southern Bombers Phillip Bellchambers, Thor Boscott and Robbie McManus (two goals each) were instrumental, while Franklin was clearly the best afield with 37 disposals, 13 clearances and 12 tackles.

It was Lauderdale’s first win over North in Launceston since 2012 and follows a 10-goal loss to its Northern rivals in round 1 – pleasing coach Darren Winter.

“It was a great battle… our ability to fight the game out when it looked like we were down and out a bit was brilliant,” he said.

North coach Tom Couch said he is still working out what his best 22 looks like and hinted that a few charges could find themselves running around in the development league in two weeks time.

“Two [losses] in a row now so there are a few holes we need to address. There is a reason I haven’t been pumping us up for a while,” he said.

“We learn a lot today as coaches too… we found out that a couple of players can’t play in certain positions when the heat is on – that was finals intensity.”

Connor Young and Bart McCulloch were both late outs for North.