PORT ADELAIDE has returned to the SANFL winner’s list after an 18-point win over Central District at My Money House Oval at Elizabeth.

The Magpies were well served by Dom Barry who racked up possessions and two goals in the first half while Lindsay Thomas was a constant handful up forward, but it was a third-quarter onslaught that carried them to victory.

Centrals were celebrating the 10-year reunion of the 2008 SANFL Premiership but the Magpies were out to spoil the party.

Former Magpie Justin Hoskin, though, had other ideas and slotted the opening two majors.

After a couple of missed opportunities for the visitors, Lindsay Thomas scored his side’s first goal of the afternoon after being on the end of a string of handballs and some speedy run and carry by teammate Dom Barry.

Josh Richardson restored the margin for the Bulldogs before John Butcher stepped around a Magpies defender and extended it to 19 points at the first change.

It was an ideal start to the second term for the visitors with Todd Marshall capitalising on a free kick to Lindsay Thomas and taking the advantage to snap a goal around his body within the first minute.

The Magpies lifted their intensity and the longer the quarter went on, the more they gained the upper hand with the ball remaining in their forward half for most of the term.

Dom Barry was finding space and booted two goals in the space of four minutes, including one from range after two bounces, as the Magpies drew level.

The Bulldogs finished the half with a goal with their first forward 50 entry of the term as Hoskin won a free kick and slotted his third to give the home side a six-point buffer at the main break.

The grey clouds lingered and the temperature dropped markedly after half time, but as they did in the second period, the Magpies burst out of the blocks, this time slotting three goals in the first five minutes to Peter Ladhams, Aidyn Johnson and Thomas for his second.

Marcus Barreau replied for the home side but two goals to Kane Farrell and one to Jake Patmore stretched the lead to a game-high 24-points.

After conceding nine of the last eleven goals, the Bulldogs found two-in-a-row when Butcher slotted his second late in the term to cut the margin to just 11 points and set up a tense final term.

It was so tense, in fact, that it took 12 minutes before Thomas had the first goal of the quarter, his third of the match.

The Dogs responded 90 seconds later but Levi Proude put the margin back out to 19 points with about ten minutes to go and the Magpies appeared home and they held on for a much-needed victory.

 

SCOREBOARD

PORT ADELAIDE               1.2         4.3         10.3       12.5       (77)

CENTRAL DISTRICT          4.3         5.3         8.4         9.5         (59)

Goals

Thomas 3, Farrell, Barry 2, Patmore, Marshall, Ladhams, Johnson, Proude

Best

Amon, Barry, Toumpas, Hombsch, Marshall, Patmore

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