PORT Adelaide has gone down to South Adelaide at Noarlunga by nine points in a thriller.
The Magpies led by 17 points deep in the last before the Panthers kicked the last four goals of the game.
South had all the play in the opening two minutes, but it was the Magpies who would take the ascendancy, as Dylan Williams received a handball from Jake Weidemann and went bang from the 50-metre arc.
The Panthers were controlling the stat sheet, but it was the Magpies doing the job on the field.
While South led the hitouts, clearances and inside 50s early on, Port’s pressure was unmatched and it would get its reward.
Sam Mayes would receive a free kick for holding the ball inside 50 and convert to give his side a 10-point lead.
The Magpies’ lead at the first change should have been more, but Mac Nield hit the post on the siren and they led by 11 points.
It was a change for Port in recent weeks, which had not led at a quarter-time break since Round 14.
Port’s pressure was still relentless to start the second quarter, with Taj Schofield snapping quickly out of the pack, but unfortunately rifled into the goal post.
However, he would also get his reward with a crumb and snap to give his side an 18-point lead.
Yet, it took one scrappy opportunity to bring the Panthers back into the contest. Keegan Brooksby was the beneficiary as he dribbled a grubber home for his side’s first eight minutes into the second term.
The Panthers woke up from there, and they had their second in as many minutes through Ben Shillabeer.
Port was rattled and under intense pressure, and South would take the lead for the first time after Shillabeer marked uncontested and converted the set shot.
The Magpies were improved on the stat sheet, but in a reverse of the first term, were on the back foot on the field.
That was until Brynn Teakle halted South’s momentum.
The tall ruck/forward marked on a tough angle in the pocket and converted the set shot, celebrating in style to give the Magpies back the lead.
South looked vulnerable and Port capitalised, with Nick Moore receiving a holding the ball free kick, 25-metre penalty and goal.
The Panthers were becoming undisciplined and a late hit on Cam Sutcliffe saw the skipper receive a free kick and nail a towering punt.
Port led by 18 points at the main change and looked well in control after a tough second term.
The Magpies looked as if they’d start the third quarter in style as Schofield attempted a dribbler, but Nathan Barkla was unable to tap it home from the goal line.
Port’s movement out of defence was proving an issue for South, as a slick kick from Dante Visentini found Aidan Turner who kicked a helicopter through the big sticks for his first.
South butchered two shots at goal through Shillabeer and Sam Overall, but after a missed kick-in, Mitch O’Neill converted and brought the margin back to 17 points.
Neither side could wrestle back momentum following O’Neill’s goal, with South butchering passes going forward and Trent McKenzie able to swallow up the misdirected kicks.
Yet, the Magpies were unable to get it forward themselves, bar a set shot to Nick Moore, who would miss from 45.
South would cut the margin back to 11 deep in the third as Ben Heaslip capitalised on a turnover at centre-half-back.
It sparked the Panthers into life, as Damon Freitag received a free kick in the pocket and converted off the left foot to make it five points the difference at the final change.
Despite South’s momentum, it was the Magpies who drew first blood in the last.
Visentini found Jake Weidemann in the pocket on his own, who passed to Sutcliffe who played on to snap his second on his left foot.
Visentini was involved again only moments later as he kicked inside 50, after missing Sutcliffe, spilled to Nick Moore who snapped his second and the Magpies led by 17.
However, South wasn’t done.
After missing two opportunities, the Panthers goaled through Ryan Garthwaite and the margin was back to nine points.
South won the next clearance, but the mark was dropped by Garthwaite and Port was able to force the stoppage to halt a double hit.
Yet, the Panthers eventually got the goal they were searching for, as Keegan Brooksby was left on his own and converted.
South took the lead at the 21st minute mark after Garthwaite took a pack mark and converted.
The Panthers secured the victory after the siren as Garthwaite roosted a torpedo from 60 metres out for his third in the last quarter.
SCOREBOARD
Port Adelaide 2.2 6.4 7.6 9.6 (60)
South Adelaide 0.3 3.4 6.7 10.9 (69)
Port Adelaide
Goals: N. Moore, Sutcliffe 2, Schofield, Teakle, Williams, Mayes, Turner.
Best: Mayes, Sutcliffe, McKenzie, Frederick, N. Moore
