Australian Football

Match Report

Carlton has won a second consecutive match under caretaker coach John Barker, defeating the bottom-placed Gold Coast Suns by 34 points at Docklands on Sunday. The Suns were 'up and about' early in the match and led by 14 points at quarter time, but the Blues gradually got on top after that, to lead by 12 points at half time and 23 at the last change before eventually winning by almost six goals.

After Brandon Matera missed a relatively easy shot at goal inside the first two minutes, Carlton got on top with goals to Troy Menzel and Levi Caboult to take a 13-point lead. But the Suns then got on a roll and a goal to Charlie Dixon and two to Tom Lynch saw them take the lead at the 13-minute mark. Andrews Everett levelled the scores on the cusp of time-on but late majors to Harley Bennell and Andrew Boston saw Gold Coast ahead by 14 points at the first break.

When play resumed in the second quarter, Carlton had all the running. After behinds to Patrick Cripps and Casboult, the Blues kicked four straight goals through Zach Tuohy, Chris Yarran, Dennis Armfield and Lachie Henderson to jump to a 12-point lead half-way through the term. Dixon cut the difference to six with his second at the 16-minute mark but the only other goal of the term went the way of Everitt and Carlton took a two-goal lead into half-time.

A goal ro Armfield in the first three minutes of the third term extended the Blues' lead to 20 points but the Suns then mounted a challenge, with majors to Dixon and Lynch cutting the margin to eight after 10 minutes. Carlton responded with goals to Casboult and Dylan Buckley, after which to two sides traded behinds. At three-quarter time, the Blues' lead was 23 points. 

Henderson extended Carlton's lead to 30 points with the first goal of the final term at the three-minute mark, but goals proved hard to come by after that. Lynch kicked his fourth after 15 minutes to give the Suns a brief flicker of hope but the final two goals of the match went to Carlton, one each to Everett and Casboult and the Blues coasted to a comfortable 34-point victory.

Carlton's best included Tom Bell (32 possessions, six marks) Marc Murphy (32 disposals and five marks) and Andrew Carrazzo (27 touches, four tackles), while Gold Coast was well served by Lynch (four goals, six mark), Dixon (three goals) and Michael Rischitelli (nine marks, 25 disposals).

The Suns and Blues will both have their round 14 matches next Saturday, with Gold Coast hosting North Melbourne in the twilight match and Carlton taking on the Bulldogs at Docklands that evening.

GOALS
Carlton: Casboult, Everitt 3; Henderson, Armfield 2; Menzel, Tuohy, Yarran, Buckley
Gold Coast: Lynch 4; Dixon 3; Bennell, Boston

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Carlton: Bell, Simpson, Murphy, Carrazzo, Tuohy, Yarran
Gold Coast: Lynch, May, Dixon, Rischitelli

BEST - THE AGE
Carlton: Bell, Murphy, Carrazzo, Everitt, Graham, Casboult, Armfield
Gold Coast:Lynch, Dixon, Raines, Rischitelli, Bennell

INJURIES
Carlton: Menzel (right knee), Docherty (back/hamstring)
Gold Coast: Dixon (left ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Nick Holman replaced Troy Menzel in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Nick Malceski replaced Charlie Dixon in the third quarter

REPORTS
Carlton: Nil
Gold Coast: Andrew Raines reported for striking Patrick Cripps in the last quarter

UMPIRES: Farmer, Ryan, Harris 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Brad Johnson, Barry Hall