PORT ADELAIDE SANFL coach Matthew Lokan has blamed a slow start for his side’s loss to Central District on Sunday afternoon but says he can’t fault its effort and intensity.

The Magpies were downed by 22 points at Alberton Oval in windy conditions.

The Bulldogs got on top early, kicking six goals straight to 1.3 in the first quarter, making the most of a strong breeze.

But the Magpies fought back to close to within 10 points in the dying stages before conceding two late goals.

“In a lot of the areas that we’ve been poor in over the last month or two, in regards to contested possession, clearance, our tackle numbers have been down, were all really good today,” Lokan said after the game.

“I thought the boys’ effort, intensity and probably consistency, which is something we’ve belted on about, was better but it obviously wasn’t good enough to be able to win the game.

“They kicked six goals to one in the first quarter and we ended up losing by 22 points so that’s the difference in the game.

“But credit to our guys, they stuck at it and they got some more experience playing at the level.”

The Magpies matched the more-fancied visitors in most areas and beat them in contested possessions and clearances, thanks to the dogged work of Sam Powell-Pepper, Will Snelling and Jack Trengove.

Powell-Pepper finished with a game-high 33 disposals with six marks and seven tackles.

In a strange turn of events though, he was unable to spend any time on the bench in the last quarter despite cramping because he failed to enter the field through the interchange gates and would not have been allowed back on.

“I’m not exactly sure how that all came about but he was solid today,”Lokan said of Powell-Pepper, who was left out of the AFL side to focus on winning the ball.

“I thought the whole midfield group, clearances and contested ball we won.

“Centrals are in the best half of midfield groups in the competition so to be able to get on top in that area from Pepp but also our other mids as well, I thought Will Snelling and Jack Trengove were pretty solid through the midfield as well.

“Pepp was good and it’s unfortunate we couldn’t have brought him off in that last quarter.”

Trengove (24 disposals) and Snelling (29 disposals) had eight and ten tackles respectively and continued to find the ball despite the fierce contest in the midfield.

Lokan singled them out for praise.

“They’re the regular guys that keep rocking up and performing week in, week out, that’s a credit to the two guys,” he said.

“They prepare themselves really well and their performance follows.

“Today they were really important for us and in our better players.”

Captain Steven Summerton, playing his 225th and last home game before retiring after next week’s game at Prospect Oval, was also busy with 29 disposals and was given a guard of honour as he left the hallowed turf at Alberton.

He will hope to finish the season and his career with a win next Saturday.

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