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Essendon forward Jake Stringer limped from the field with a lower leg injury in Friday night's win over Hawthorn.

Jake Stringer's AFL return looks short-lived, with the Essendon forward nursing a lower leg injury after the win over Hawthorn.

Stringer was in plenty of pain as he limped from the field during the third quarter of Friday night's win over Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium.

He did not return to the match.

The Bombers star was sandwiched between Hawks defenders Shaun Burgoyne and Jarman Impey in a marking contest.

It was Stringer's first game back after missing one game with a hamstring injury.

"They haven't been able to give us even a specific idea of what it is," said coach John Worsfold, who added that Stringer will need medical scans on the injury.

The win leaves Essendon with a 6-6 record and just outside the top eight.

The Bombers have a six-day break before playing West Coast in Perth and then host GWS, who walloped them in round one.

Worsfold said he was pleased with how Essendon responded after a grinding first half.

Essendon had a stunning setback after the halftime siren when confusion between two defenders, plus a clever James Sicily block, allowed a long shot from Paul Puopolo through for a goal.

The Bombers broke clear in the third term and while Hawthorn hit back in the last quarter, Essendon were able to close out the clash.

"I was pretty disappointed at halftime (and) the players were pretty frustrated," Worsfold said.

"We actually weren't playing very well, it really felt as though it was Hawthorn's style of game that they wanted."

Worsfold praised Essendon's forwards for their role in the third term when the Bombers were able to break clear.

"I would have said overall, the way our forwards put pressure on when the ball went inside our forward 50, (that) really put heat on Hawthorn kicks coming out of (their) back half," he said.

"The way the boys were set up, it meant the ball was played in our half."