AN undermanned Port Adelaide has produced a gutsy eight-point victory over North Adelaide to maintain its spot in the SANFL top five.

The Magpies were without skipper Cam Sutcliffe who suffered a shoulder injury at training during the week, and ran out with only nine AFL-contracted players for the day.

Port got off to a perfect start as youngster Dylan Williams snagged two goals in under two minutes to open the scoring.

The Roosters gradually dragged themselves back into the contest with two consecutive goals, but Port went into quarter time with six-point lead with Boyd Woodcock’s first against his old side.

North levelled the scores early in the second stanza, but the young Magpies defence held strong for the remainder of the quarter.

Port wrestled the lead back through back-to-back majors from Ben Edwards and Dylan Aldridge and led by 13 points at the main change.

Neither side could hit the scoreboard early in the third, with the wasteful Roosters booting six straight behinds.

They then kicked the four next goals to take a 16-point lead midway through, until Woodcock stepped up.

Deep into the third quarter, Woodcock slotted his second and third to ensure the Magpies trailed by just four points at the final break.

The Roosters got the momentum back early in the fourth, which was then cancelled out by a remarkable goal from Simon Wong.

Wong’s left footed long shot from hard up against the boundary evaded a couple of players as it bounced through untouched to spark a revival by the home side.

Aaron Young then goaled for North, but Wong was asserting his authority on the match, slotting his second to again get Port within a goal.

North again gained the ascendancy through Ben Jarman, but Taj Schofield put his stamp on the game with his first.

Corcoran then put the Magpies in front after a spectacular mark at the top of the goal square before Wong booted one from 50 metres out to extend the margin.

Dyson Hilder then goaled for the Roosters to make it a nervy finish until Schofield slotted his second by running into an open goal, sealing a famous win.

Sam Mayes was best on ground with 31 touches, eight tackles and eight clearances while Marty Frederick had 29 touches and six marks.

SCOREBOARD

Port Adelaide     3.3         5.5         7.6         13.8       (86)

North Adelaide  2.3         3.4         7.10       11.12     (78)

Goals: Wong, Woodcock 3, Schofield, Williams 2, Aldridge, Corcoran, Edwards.

Best: Mayes, Woodcock, Hayes, Frederick, Strange, Wong.