GOLDEN Square nailed eight last quarter goals to down a spirited Maryborough by 67 points and return to the winner's in Saturday's Bendigo League clash at MyJet Oval.

It took three quarters before the Bulldogs finally unshackled themselves from the Magpies' persistent grip with key forward Grant Weeks hammering home three of his seven goals in the last term.

Maryborough tried valiantly for three quarters to stay in touch with the Dogs.

Young forward Corey Taylor booted two third term majors as the Pies closed the gap to 17 points moments before the last change.

Square first-gamer Nathan Manuel then landed a key goal at the Maple Street end as the three-quarter time sounded. His six-pointer extended the Golden Square lead to 23 points.

Even with skipper Simon Rosa sidelined for the day before the long break with a knee injury, Golden Square still managed six goals to three in the first half.

Stepping up in Rosa's absence were midfielders Hamish Morcom and Comanche Walls as they kept the ball moving goalwards.

Still, it was key defender Travis Baird who was the most influential player afield.

Time after time he burst through midfield, zoning off the half-back line and setting up attacks for the Dogs.

Not only did he land a booming shot for a last term major, Baird also spotted up Weeks just metres from the Wade Street goalline.

And the rest of the Square defence was solid. Sam Wilkie, Clayton Anderson and Dale Young were all in sound touch, eventually proving too good for Maryborough's forwards.

Still the Pies were combative, if a little wasteful, in the first half.

Conceding four goals to nothing in the first term they battled back into contention in the second term.

Co-coach Joel Malone made the most of a free kick when he was caught high at the 15-minute mark and converted. Two minutes later, Malone's goal was added to by big man Tyson MacIlwain with a clever snap.

When midfielder Matt Johnston cleverly positioned himself goalside in a marking contest near the posts, he was able to grab the loose ball and dribble home Maryborough's third goal in succession.

Square's lead was slashed to 15 points before Weeks marked a Walls' spot-up and goaled to hand the home side a 22-point half-time lead.

The third term was an arm wrestle with the two clubs landing a pair of goals apiece.

Matthew O'Toole, a constructive forward all afternoon, hammered home the second of his three goals. The third quarter was 17 minutes old when O'Toole landed Square's first goal of the stanza.

After Taylor's two, accurate shots for Maryborough and Manuel's steadiness after the siren had sounded Square had a 23-point advantage at the last change.

Then the avalanche began. Eight goals to one, as Weeks took his 2012 haul to 70, sealed the Bulldogs' win.

The final term onslaught left the Magpies' non-playing co-coach Matt Aston non-plussed.

"They did over-run us and there's no doubt we ran out of legs a bit in that last quarter," he said.

"We had managed to fight back well before half-time and then again in the third quarter. But they kicked on as our blokes tired a bit," Aston said.

"We just have to get that winning feeling back into the club by stringing a few Maryborough wins together."

Injured Golden Square playing coach Mark Lloyd said it was disappointing to let Maryborough back into the game in the second quarter.

"But the second half, and particularly the last quarter, was really pleasing and we were happy with our back half, with the players really working hard for each other and making sure the ball got down to the forwards," he said.

GOLDEN SQUARE      4.4      6.9      8.12       16.15 (111)

MWRYBOROUGH        0.4      3.5      5.7         6.8  (44)

GOALS – Golden Square: Grant Weeks 7, Matt O'Toole 3, Nathan Manuel, Aiden Pratt, Adam Baird, Travis Baird, Jordan Collins, Luke Hammond. Maryborough: Matt Johnston 2, Corey Taylor 2, Joel Malone, Tyson MacIlwain.

BEST – Golden Square: Travis Baird (best afield), Hamish Morcom, Clayton Anderson, Grant Weeks, Jake McLean, Comanche Walls, Matt O'Toole. Maryborough: Joel Malone, Lachlan Woodward, Matt Bond, Matt Johnston, Luke Bucknall.

VOTES

5: Travis Baird (GS)

4: Hamish Morcom (GS)

3: Clayton Anderson (GS)

2: Grant Weeks (GS)

1: Joel Malone (Mrb)