Australian Football

Match Report

With eighth-placed North Melbourne faltering late in the season, their has been strong talk of St Kilda making a late run for a finals place but while the Sydney Swans were blowing the Saints away on Saturday night, effectively putting paid to those hopes, Melbourne was staking its own top-eight claim with a strong away win over Port Adelaide, which itself had been a contender, at the Adelaide Oval. The Demons' impressive win leaves them two games behind North with two games left to play but with the Kangaroos facing tough matches against Sydney and GWS, the idea of playing finals is not altogether farfetched. 

The match started well for Port and Chad Wingard when he goaled at the four-minute mark to give the Power a five-point lead. But things would soon turn sour for both team and player, firstly for the team as Tomas Bugg, Angus Brayshaw and Dean Kent all kicked goals for the Demons over the next 12 minutes and then for Wingard himself early in the second term as he sustained a hamstring injury that has likely ended his season. Melbourne added further insult to injury later in the first quarter with a goal to Bernie Vince giving the Demons a 19-point lead at quarter time.

With Wingard leaving the ground injured, things got worse for the Power as Melbourne kicked the first four goals of the second quarter via Clayton Oliver, Sam Frost, Brayshaw and Dom Tyson to jump to a 43-point lead as the term entered time on. Jared Polec clawed a goal back for the Power at the 21-minute mark but the Demons' lead was still a commanding 37 points when the siren sounded to mark half time. 

The long break brought with it a change of fortune for both side. While the Demons faltered in general play and in front of goal, with Aaron Vandenberg missing a shot at goal and Jesse Hogan two, Port kicked three goals in the first 20 minutes of the third quarter through Nathan Krakouer, Aaron Young and Polec to cut the deficit to 21 points. Bugg settled the Demons with his second goal but a late major to Sam Gray had the Power within 22 points at the final change and not without a chance. 

After a rushed behind to the Power a minute into the last quarter, their urgency appeared to vanish. Melbourne attacked heavily over the next 10 minutes, with only inaccuracy preventing the Demons from closing out the match. While Jack Watts kicked a goal, Nathan Jones, Max Gawn, Frost and Jack Viney all missed to leave the door ajar for Port. A goal to Ollie Wines cut the margin to 25 points but Jeff Garlett's first had Melbourne ahead by more than five goals once more. Young gave Port one final spark with a goal at the 26-minute mark but Garlett and Jones made certain of victory for Melbourne with the game's last two goals to ice a big and important win.

Tyson was a great player for the victors, with 29 touches and eight tackles, while Sam Gray's nine tackles and 25 possessions put him among Port's best. 

With two rounds to go, wins against Carlton at the MCG and Geelong at Kardinia Park - where they had a big win last year - could yet see the Demons sneak into the finals. For Port, the finals dream is over and the best the Power can hope to do is upset Adelaide's applecart with a Showdown win next Saturday night and a finish the season with a win away against the Suns. 

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Polec, Young 2; Wingard, Krakouer, Wines, Sam Gray
Melbourne: Brayshaw, Bugg, Garlett 2; Frost, Kent, Oliver, Vince, Tyson, Watts, Jones,

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Port Adelaide: S. Gray, Polec, R. Gray, Pittard, Wines
Melbourne: Tyson, Vince, Gawn, Oliver, Hunt

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Port Adelaide: R. Gray, Polec, S. Gray, Boak, Byrne-Jones, Wines
Melbourne: Gawn, Vince, Tyson, O. McDonald, Kent, Bugg

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Wingard (hamstring)
Melbourne: Nil

UMPIRES: Bannister, Chamberlain, Mollison

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