Luke Dunstan, Farren Ray and Jack Billings were influential in the first term - the latter especially damaging in just his second game of AFL football.
Billings' running goal from 50 metres out was calmly slotted as if he had played 200 games, not two.
Fellow left-footer Adam Schneider was quiet in the first quarter, but worked his way up the ground towards half-time and has collected 17 disposals.
Jimmy Webster has been solid in defence, while Rhys Stanley is arguably playing his best game for the year as a forward and part-time ruckman.
Alan Richardson's men had seven scoring shots to five in the first quarter, yet trailed by 18 points at the first break.
Nick Riewoldt, who has been well held by Michael Hurley, bought the margin back to two goals with his first major of the contest in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
No team has scored as heavily as Essendon in 2014, yet St Kilda held the Bombers to just two behinds in a promising, if not inspiring, second term.
No team has scored as heavily as Essendon in 2014, yet St Kilda held the Bombers to just two behinds in a promising, if not inspiring, second term.
While the Saints managed just three goals themselves in this time, the defensive endeavour displayed by the red, white and black is a far cry from last Saturday night's clash against Adelaide.
St Kilda is creating enough opportunities, but simply must make the most of them in the third term.
STK: 4.8 (32)
ESS: 5.2 (32)
Goals:
Riewoldt (2), Billings, Geary
Best:
Schneider, Billings, Dunstan, Ray, Webster, Stanley
