PORT ADELAIDE has clinched its fourth consecutive win, walking away winners over Carlton 13.12 (90) to 10.9 (69) at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

Chad Wingard (24 disposals, two goals) was arguably the best for the visitors, but received potent support from Robbie Gray (13 disposals, three goals) and Justin Westhoff (19 disposals, two goals) as Port Adelaide recorded its 10th win for the season.

Carlton had started the game like a team motivated by Simpson's 300-game milestone, with gun forward Charlie Curnow wreaking havoc as the Blues made a fighting start. 

There was no stopping the gifted Blues youngster early, with the 21-year-old proving he's just as good at ground level as he is in the air on his way to a four-goal outing. 

The recently re-signed Curnow twice crumbed the pack expertly for his first two majors of the afternoon, before adding a third before quarter-time having daunted the Power into giving away a free kick close to goal.

But the superior quality of Port Adelaide was bound to come to the fore eventually, with Gray providing the spark after the Power had trailed at the first change.

He kicked two goals in as many minutes to start the second quarter, adding to his earlier snapped effort, as the Power piled on five unanswered goals to claim the ascendancy.

The burst came amid a period when midfield bulls Ollie Wines and Tom Rockliff began matching Carlton's industry on the inside, and Wingard provided some moments of quality on the outside, as Port Adelaide surged to a handy 19-point lead at half-time.

Yet just when the game appeared to be Port Adelaide's, Carlton came again.

As the heavens opened in the third quarter, Port Adelaide's scoring dried up. The Power were held scoreless for the entire term, as Carlton quickly reduced the deficit to two points.

But the comeback proved short-lived.

Having peppered the goal for large periods to start the final term, Steven Motlop, Charlie Dixon and Wingard all converted within three minutes of each other to eventually give Port Adelaide some breathing space.

The momentum swing proved the ultimate difference, with a tiring Carlton unable to respond as Port Adelaide momentarily lifted itself back into the AFL's top four.


CARLTON 5.0 6.2 8.7 10.9 (69)

PORT ADELAIDE 3.6 8.9 8.9 13.12 (90)

GOALS

Carlton: C. Curnow 4, Murphy, Cripps, Pickett, Phillips, Dow, Kennedy

Port Adelaide: R. Gray 3, Westhoff 2, Marshall 2, Wingard 2, Thomas, Motlop, Dixon, Boak

BEST

Carlton: C. Curnow, Simpson, Cripps, Murphy, Rowe, Jones

Port Adelaide: Westhoff, Wingard, Rockliff, Powell-Pepper, Houston, Hombsch

Umpires: Fisher, O'Gorman, Meredith

Official crowd: 26,562 at the MCG

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