PORT ADELAIDE has walked from the Adelaide Oval on Friday night stung by a hard-nosed Geelong that ran away with an eventual 23-point victory.
In an evenly-matched game between two sides placed back-to-back on the ladder, the victor would need to find a crucial circuit-breaker to seize control.
It was Geelong's sudden goal surge late in the third quarter that pushed the Cats to a game-high 16-point lead and threatened to put Port out of the game.
Needing to return fire in the fourth quarter immediately, the Power continued to press into attack, but couldn't find the clean hands or feet needed to set up its own momentum-swing.
Instead the Cats booted clear through Lang and Hawkins to take its 16-point advantage to a near five-goal lead.
It was a mountain too great for the Power to climb, and though Wingard kicked his fourth goal for the match shortly after, that it came halfway through the final term left the home side mired too deep to recover.
Earlier, the game had promised to be an exciting shootout as both teams booted five goals in the opening term as emotions ran high between the antagonisers of both teams.
But by the Cats turning the game away from one favouring the Power's outside run, Port had to work extra hard to find the space required to create its forward-line opportunities.
Now Port Adelaide faces a stark challenge - a must-win game against Carlton just to return to an even ledger - and its finals hopes still impeded by that one vital win it can't seem to crack.
Adding salt to the wound was a hamstring injury to Matt White in the second quarter, but assessment will be required to ascertain the extent of his injury.
SCOREBOARD
PORT ADELAIDE 5.2 7.3 10.3 11.3 (69)
GEELONG 5.1 8.4 12.7 14.8 (92)
PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU’S BEST
Wingard, R. Gray, Ebert, Carlile, Hombsch
GOALS
Wingard 4, R. Gray, Westhoff 2, Boak, Monfries, Schulz
INJURIES
White (hamstring)
SUBSTITUTION
Aaron Young replaced Matt White (hamstring) in the second quarter
CROWD
47,058 at the Adelaide Oval
