PORT ADELAIDE’s Showdown win over Adelaide on Saturday night was “scrappy” and built on “sheer grit” according to coach Ken Hinkley but extremely important in the context of the club’s season.

The four-point final margin made for a nervy final few minutes after Port trailed for much of the night in a less than impressive performance.

The dour, low scoring game was built on a high pressure, combative game by both sides with neither able to generate many chances or the ball movement they would have liked.

Port went into the game as heavy favourite based on ladder position, but Hinkley said he was pleased that his side found a way to win when it clearly wasn’t at its best.

“We were struggling to find our best,” he said after the game. “Adelaide were making it hard for us. But Showdowns are like that.

“I’ve been the favourite, I’ve been the underdog and you don’t always get the results the way you think they’re going to happen.

“It was a hard-fought, scrappy win. I think we went +21 second half contested possessions and I think that’s how we won.

“We won through sheer grit. We found a way to win, which in the context of our season is really important.”

Port was inaccurate in front of goal, finishing with 7.13 (55) to Adelaide’s 7.9 (51).

Hinkley said the inaccuracy came down to a combination of conditions, the pressure applied by the Crows and taking some difficult shots.

“The outcome in the end was a win in a Showdown,” he said.

“It was big in our season but to us the Showdown is really important and to take a win we wanted to get was as much important about a Showdown win as it was maintaining our position on the ladder.”

The win takes Port equal top along with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong, until Melbourne plays on Sunday.

Defender Aliir Aliir was a standout for Port, taking home the Showdown Medal for the first time after taking an incredible eleven marks and intercepting 16 times.

Hinkley was full of praise for the Sydney recruit.

“He hasn’t played any bigger than he’s played tonight,” Hinkley said proudly.

“Sometimes you get to the end of a Showdown and you’re not sure who is going to win the medal but there was absolutely no doubt that he was going to win the medal at the end of the game.

“He was such an influential player ... he rebounded enough almost on his own to keep us going.

“His season has been remarkable. He’s fitted into our club really well. He’s connected with some of our players really closely and that’s not always easy  - that’s a credit to our team and our club and the culture we’ve created.”

With two games to play in the regular season, Sydney’s loss to St Kilda has Port in the box seat to finish in the top four and earn a double chance in the finals.

But Hinkley said he wasn’t looking that far ahead with games against Carlton and the Bulldogs to come.

“We’ve had to work really hard to get (our spot in the top four),” he explained. “We’ve had to win some pretty close games and as I said a long time ago, don’t worry about it until Round 23.

“We’ll see where we end up, we’ll deserve the opportunity we’re going to get and now we can’t focus on three weeks’ time. We need to focus on next week, on Carlton and make sure we get the job done.

“We can’t afford to get too far ahead."

Hinkley’s side welcomed back superstar Robbie Gray from seven weeks out following knee surgery, and should have Steven Motlop in the frame to return from ankle surgery against the Blues.

That game is scheduled to be played in Adelaide but the fixture has not been confirmed yet.