PORT ADELAIDE has come away from Richmond Oval with a 13-point victory over West Adelaide in the SANFL on Sunday.
The Magpies got off to a terrific start, with early goals from Hamish Hartlett and Xavier Duursma.
The Bloods then responded with one of their own through Tom Keough, but Port was relentless.
Ollie Lord then found Dylan Williams in the square who slotted the Magpies third, which was then followed by Duursma’s second from distance after a free kick.
Duursma’s first quarter was massive, with 11 touches and two goals, which helped set up a 14-point quarter-time lead.
The Magpies started the second in style with Jake Weidemann marking and converting for his first of the afternoon.
West responded through Hugh Haysman, but Weidemann would get another just seconds later with a dribbler.
Tyson Goldsack would smash one home from more than 50 metres out and celebrated in style to get the margin out to 26 points.
While Keough would slot his second out the back of the pack for West, Ethan Moore challenged Goldsack’s 50-metre punt with one of his own to make it a game-high 27 points.
The Bloods then came back with a surge.
Harry Lemmey slotted one before Bailey Chamberlain scored a double to see Port’s lead drop to just nine points at the main break.
West’s momentum continued into the third quarter as Keough slotted his third before Joel Stevens gave the hosts the lead for the first time for the afternoon.
The Magpies would wrestle the lead back, as Weidemann scored his third in identical fashion to his other three – over the top and smashed through.
Dylan Aldridge gave the Magpies a buffer with a goal over the top before West got back into the contest through Mitch Maguire.
Port would lead by eight points at the three-quarter-time break as Jackson Mead received a picture-perfect pass from Williams and converted on the siren.
Both sides engaged in an arm wrestle for the start of the final term, with the drought ended thanks to Ollie Lord who took a ripping pack mark and converted the shot on a tight angle.
The Magpies then extended the margin moments later as Hartlett smashed through the midfield to give off to Aldridge who kicked truly from distance on the run.
Keough would kick his fourth for the afternoon, but it wasn’t enough as the Magpies secured their seventh win of the season to move within a game of the top five.
Duursma, Hartlett and Mead all racked up 27 touches and shared four goals between them while Matt Appleton had 26 touches and seven marks.
SCOREBOARD
West Adelaide 2.1 7.2 10.4 11.5 (71)
Port Adelaide 4.3 8.5 11.6 13.6 (84)
Port Adelaide
Goals: Weidemann 3, Duursma, Aldridge 2, Goldsack, Hartlett, Mead, Moore, Williams, Lord.
Best: Duursma, Hartlett, Clurey, Mead, Wildman, Hayes
