PORT Adelaide held off a late challenge by Carlton to take out the first NAB Cup match of Sunday's triple-header at AAMI Stadium by six points.
For full match replays 12 hours after the game, go to AFL VIDEOS under the screen.
The Power trailed late in a game that was shortened due to soaring temperatures in Adelaide, but goals to Kane Cornes and debutant Chad Wingard set up the 0.6.10 (46) to 1.5.1 (40) win.
Cornes was important for Port with 12 touches and two goals, as was Brad Ebert who impressed in his first game since crossing from West Coast in the off-season.
Veterans Heath Scotland and Andrew Carrazzo were prominent for the Blues and Matthew Kreuzer kicked the only super goal of the game.
Carlton struggled to find any sort of rhythm moving the ball in the first half as the Power wrested control of the centre corridor.
Port established a 16-point lead with goals to John Butcher and Cornes, but the Blues made the most of limited opportunities to hit back late.
Former Tiger Andy Collins was credited a goal despite a desperate lunge from Ebert as the ball crossed the goal line and Kreuzer sliced the margin further when he slotted a nine pointer following a 50m penalty as the half-time siren sounded.
Port coach Matthew Primus will no doubt be asking a few questions of his players, most of whom were headed to the half-time huddle as Kreuzer put through his long bomb.
Despite their excellent early work, the Power found themselves behind a minute into the second half as Shaun Hampson kicked truly.
Carlton looked set to run away with the match as Collins bagged his second shortly after a Kane Lucas goal, but Cornes put the Power back in front when he converted from a difficult angle deep in a pocket in the dying minutes.
Wingard, the sixth pick overall at the 2010 NAB AFL Draft impressed in his first match for the Power with eight possessions and a goal.
PORT ADELAIDE 0.2.7 0.6.10 (46)
CARLTON 1.1.0 1.5.1 (40)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Cornes 2, Westhoff, Butcher, Wingard, D Stewart
Carlton: Kreuzer (super goal), Collins 2, Gibbs, Hampson, Lucas
BEST
Port Adelaide: Cornes, Ebert, Trengove, Boak, Pearce, Wingard
Carlton: Scotland, Carrazzo, Gibbs, Lucas, Watson, Ellard
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Carlton: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Pannell, Ritchie, Keating
Official crowd: TBC at AAMI Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
