North Launceston are hanging on to their top-four spot after going down to Lauderdale 8.16 (64) to 4.15 (39) at UTAS Stadium.
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Coming into the clash in fourth, battling the third-placed Southern Bombers, North led at the first two breaks before Lauderdale came home like a train.
It was a clunky game, especially coming straight off the bye," coach Brad Cox-Goodyer said.
"They just ran over the top of us in the end and were able to put the scoreboard pressure on, especially from the back end of the third quarter, they kicked three late ones and just controlled the last quarter, which was unfortunate.
"Every game now is a big one, we play North Hobart next week and then we've got Launceston and then Clarence so our destiny is in our own hands really.
"It was disappointing not to get the win today because it was a pretty important one ... so now we just make it harder for ourselves and we've got some thinking to do because we just weren't up to scratch."
Luckily for the Northern Bombers, the second-placed Tigers defeated fifth-placed Clarence down south, meaning last year's grand finalists remain in the top four and hold on to the last finals spot.
The sides traded majors in the first, with Lauderdale debutant Flynn Read kicking a goal with his first kick in senior football before Theo Ives hit back.
Former Adelaide-listed player Sam Siggins and Harry Bayles ended the first quarter with majors, giving North a two-point lead.
Siggins and Tom Bennett were the only goal-kickers in the second, Bennett's with the last kick of the term after a downfield free-kick.
He also booted the first of the third quarter but from there it was literally all Lauderdale, despite North's 12-point lead looking rather threatening at one point.
Former Geelong Cat and Brisbane Lion Allen Christensen showed he's still got it, almost producing some magic before righting his wrongs and kicking two goals in short time, the second a trademark casual snap to give his side the lead.
Lauderdale didn't inflict major damage on the scoreboard in the last, but the two majors - including a Christensen one as the final kick of the game - proved to be fatal as North Launceston weren't able to add to their tally.
Cox-Goodyer said there were some positive signs but his side "lacked contributors across the ground".
"I thought we controlled the ball around the contest but we just weren't able to get any connection with our forwards," he said.
"They put some numbers behind the ball and we weren't brave enough to change the shape of the ground and kept kicking it to their spares.
"We obviously don't have massive targets forward of the footy and they were able to chop the ball off, take intercept marks and rebound from half-back."
The work of Lockie Mitchell and Corey Nankervis impressed Cox-Goodyer in defence but the Bombers will be without the former for at least next week, concussed in a marking contest in the last quarter.
Co-captain Ben Simpson's return from concussion was also delayed in a late change, acting as the club's runner.
"We wanted him to be 100 per cent and he's probably 95," Cox-Goodyer said.
"He just felt a bit nauseous after training on Thursday, he probably could've played but we didn't want to rush him back and hinder him going forward."
Siggins, Nicholas Hooker and Sam Tilley were Lauderdale's best in the crucial win for the Southern Bombers.
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