PORT ADELAIDE played Adelaide in the 11th SANFL Showdown which ended favourably for the Crows who held off a late Magpies challenge to claim a 16-point win.

Tobin Cox kicked five goals for Port, while Jack Trengove again led the charge with 37 disposals, nine tackles and 10 clearances in the 16.9-105 to 18.13-121 defeat.

Port were stretched in defence by a talented Crows forward line which included Josh Jenkins (six goals for the match), Tyson Stengle (four) and Darcy Fogarty (two).

Adelaide’s offseason recruit Stengle got the scoring underway with a 40m snap at the two-minute mark as a slight breeze blew across Alberton Oval.

The play was hemmed to the grandstand side wing, with both sides struggling to keep the ball in the field of play.

Shane McAdam strolled into an open goal for Adelaide’s second at the nine-minute mark as the Crows began to get on top, before Myles Poholke unloaded on a long goal from outside 50m three minutes later.

After eight disposals in the opening 15 minutes, Trengove got Port on the board with a nice goal out of a congested pack, but the Crows had the answers in the first term and kicked the next two goals within a minute.

Magpies captain Cameron Sutcliffe broke free from a stoppage to find Boyd Woodcock 35m out directly in front who goaled with the final kick of the quarter, but it was the Crows who led by 19 points at the first break.

Tobin Cox made it back-to-back goals for Port either side of quarter time, converting a set shot in the opening minute of the second term, but the strong Fogarty shrugged off two tacklers to set up Stengle’s second goal soon after.

In a quick start to the second term, Port went end-to-end and found Todd Marshall, who goaled from 40m out to bring the margin back to 14 points.

The Magpies found their running boots and started to take the game on, using the corridor to attack the forward line, but it was the Crows who found the next two goals.

Stengle curled his third goal home from deep in the grandstand pocket and Fogarty finished from 40m as Adelaide’s lead grew to 31 points.

Jenkins joined in on the action with two goals just before half time, to end a quarter which saw the Crows kick six goals to three.

While Port trailed by 36 points at the half, it led the disposal count by 20 and clearances by 12, but Adelaide controlled the marks (46 – 57) and inside 50s (19 – 27).

Trengove had 22 disposals, six clearances and a goal at the major break, while Willem Drew found 19 disposals.

Stengle kicked his fourth goal early in the third term before the Magpies mounted a fightback, with goals to Matthew Appleton and Cox (two) as the margin returned to 25 points.

Cox kicked his fourth goal – making it three for the term - and Port’s fightback was on with six goals to three in the third quarter.

The Crows led by 20 points at three quarter time and they did the attacking in the early stages of the final term, as Jenkins made it six goals for the day.

Late goals to Sutcliffe, Sam Davidson (two) and Cox made things interesting, but it was the Crows who claimed their fifth win for the season.

Stucliffe led from the front with 32 disposals and a goal, while Drew also collected 32 disposals, five tackles and 12 clearances.

SCORE:
Port: 2.2, 5.5, 11.6, 16.9 (105)
Adelaide: 5.3, 11.5, 14.8, 18.13 (121)
DISPOSALS: Trengove 37, Drew 32, Sutcliffe 32, Pudney 30, Bonner 29.

GOALS:
BEST: Sutcliffe, Drew, Ladhams, Trengove, Cox, Davidson.