An ultra-efficient Box Hill Hawks side has handed the Northern Blues their third straight loss; the home side victorious by 28 points at Box Hill City Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Hawks led from almost start to finish in a rain-affected slog, piecing together four consistent quarters to run out 15. 6. (96) to 10. 8 (68) winners.

In similar fashion to the week before against Essendon, the Blues started the match brightly, dominating territory with their frontal half pressure.

Leading by a point heading into red time of the first quarter, the visitors would be thwarted when Hawk Jonathon Simpkin (30 possesions, three goals) launched a 90m torpedo that skidded truly for a crucial goal.

Overturning the margin to five points in favour of the Hawks, it would be the straw that broke the camel's back after two classy finishes from 50m on the run from Joel Wilkinson and 50-gamer Tom Wilson.

The Hawks arrested momentum with their ability to get numbers to every contest, as key forwards Ryan Schoenmakers (three goals), Tim O’Brien and Sam Grimley (two each) reaped the rewards of Box Hill’s efficient ball movement.

Goals to David Ellard (24 possessions, nine tackles) and Blaine Johnson stemmed the tide, but it was the Hawks who would take the advantage into the main break, 19 points to the good.

The second half saw the Hawks’ major ball-winners continue to assert their dominance as Jonathon O’Rourke (25 possessions) and Jed Anderson (19) started to get their hands on the footy.

Late goals from Matthew Watson (two) and Bradley Walsh (21 possessions, seven clearances) again kept Northern in the hunt in the shadows of three-quarter time.

But it would be the Hawks who goaled five consecutive times from just eight inside-50 entries to put the game to bed, before late goals to Blaine Boekhorst, Fraser Russell and Billy Gowers brought some respectability to the scoreboard.

For the Blues, Ellard led the charge of the four quarters while Mark Whiley (22 possessions, seven clearances) was tireless in a game suited to inside midfielders.

Nick Holman further pushed his case for senior selection, holding reigning J.J. Liston Trophy winner Alex Woodward to just 19 possessions, collecting 18 himself plus five tackles.

In further heartening news for Carlton fans, Matthew Kreuzer played a solid hand finishing with 14 possessions and 32 hit outs, largely controlling the clearances when pushed on to the ball.

The result in the end leaves the Blues reeling at 2-5 with a game against Coburg on Queen’s Birthday Monday before the mid-season bye.

Milestone man and Blues vice-captain Wilson said it was a case of being unable to sustain their pressure that let his side down.

“There’s some positives to come out of it, but credit where credit is due, Box Hill are a quality side,” Wilson said.

“Unfortunately, we let them play on their terms for too long today.

“We knew going into the game that Box Hill like to get uncontested marks and use the footy pretty well.

“We knew if we were able to deny them that, we’d be in the hunt but unfortunately we just weren’t able to do it for long enough, and they got away from us in the last quarter.”

Wilson said the eight-day break will give his teammates plenty of time on the training track to right the wrongs of the past month.

“We’ll review pretty seriously through the week with ‘Webby’ and the coaches.

“We are doing some things well, we’re ticking boxes so there is some upside to it. But, again, we need another solid week on the track to ensure we’re doing it consistently.”

The Blues will meet Coburg next Monday at Piranha Park.

BOX HILL HAWKS 3.1 7.3 10.6 15. 6. (96)
NORTHERN BLUES 2.2 4.2 6.4 10. 8. (68)

GOALS
BOX HILL: Simpkin 3, Schoenmakers 3, O’Brien 2, Grimley 2, Miles 2, Iles, Willsmore, McEvoy
NORTHERN BLUES: Watson 2, Boekhorst, Johnson, Walsh, Ellard, Gowers, Wilson, Russell, Wilkinson

BEST
BOX HILL: Simpkin, Iles, Schoenmakers, O'Rourke, Gibson, Whitecross
NORTHERN BLUES: Ellard, Holman, Fields, Bransgrove, Walsh, Johnson