Saturday’s win leaves the Cats in 10th position on the Central Highlands Football League ladder, three games behind eighth-placed Ballan.

The spirited resistance of the Bulldogs was on display from the opening ball-up, as they stunned the Cats to establish a three-goal lead.

Jeremy Steen, Michael Cummings and Emlyn Nettleton were in fine form for the Bulldogs, which were clearly driven to avoid another thrashing after their 130-point loss to Springbank a week earlier.

However, with their slim finals hopes on the line, the Cats clicked into gear and reduced the lead to three-points by the main break.

For the visitors, star onballer Dan Wehrung was running riot, while Lachlan Shaw also got on the scoreboard.

With both sides determined not to lose the four points, a relentless half of footy followed with constant goal­for-­goal action.

Cats forward Will Young, coaching with Wehrung in the absence of brother Kal, finally came into his own with two goals. However, the Bulldogs’ Patrick Rowe and Robert Rodgers matched his efforts to land a three-point advantage by the final change.

The ever-­improving Cats held strong in the last quarter to gather a crucial victory, which Wehrung said was an attribute his side had learned in the past year.

Young finished with four majors to his name - including a set shot goal on the final siren - while Wehrung nabbed three of his own in another strong performance.

The Bulldogs, while deflated after their gallant efforts went unrewarded, were best served by Rowe, Rodgers and Sam Winnard.