A last-gasp point from Harvey Gallagher has handed the Western Bulldogs a vital two-point victory over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

With scores tied, the Bulldogs willed the ball towards goal where Gallagher desperately snapped the most important of points to sink Power hearts for the second week in a row, 10.14 (74) to 10.12 (72).

Teammate Will Lewis’ shot from after the final siren sailed through for a point, but it’s Gallagher who will be hailed the hero.

Mitch Georgiades’ fourth goal cut the margin to seven points at the 15-minute mark of the last term and Corey Durdin reduced it further by kicking truly before the Bulldogs were able to rush it forward and claim victory.

It was far from pretty, with turnovers aplenty, but the wounded Victorian outfit achieved what they set out to do.

After a flat opening 15 minutes from the hosts, perhaps attributed to last week’s exhausting Showdown 59 defeat, it was Zak Butters who dragged the Power back into the contest with a terrific 12-disposal first term.

The Bulldogs’ overlap running and inside 50 advantage (19-7 at quarter-time) heaped pressure on the Power, but for all their dominance Josh Carr’s men found themselves just 13 points down at quarter time.

Two goals from Mitch Georgiades, both courtesy of inside-50 free-kicks, certainly helped.

The game opened up momentarily in the second term as Ewan Mackinlay and Jack Whitlock threaded the needle from opposite pockets, their efforts only to be cancelled out by quick-fire responses from Joel Freijah and Will Lewis.

Adamant on a slow and patient build-up from defensive 50, the Power were made to rue costly turnovers by hand and foot as midfield trio Marcus Bontempelli, Ryley Sanders and Ed Richards asserted themselves on the contest, combining for 11 inside 50s in the first half.

Just when it appeared the Bulldogs would run away with the contest, and with Port’s Miles Bergman ruled out for the remainder of the match with a toe injury, the Power responded by kicking the only two goals of a turnover-riddled third term.

Butters was at the centre of it all and had the ball on a string all night, finishing with 30 disposals and 529 metres gained.

Once again, Port Adelaide refused to give in despite conceding a lopsided inside-50 count to their opposition.

Bulldogs defenders Michael Sellwood and Connor Budarick impressed in defence, while important ruck Tim English left the field after a head clash in the final term.

Power defence under the pump again
For the second week in a row, the Power backline again found themselves under the pump from the get-go. Josh Carr’s side lost the inside-50 count 59-35 but somehow conceded just one goal in the second half. Aliir Aliir continued his impressive season, finishing with 21 disposals, 13 marks and nine intercept possessions. His younger teammates Josh Lai and Logan Evans also had encouraging moments.

PORT ADELAIDE               4.1    6.5    8.7    10.12 (72)
WESTERN BULLDOGS       6.2    9.5    9.6    10.14 (74)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 4, Watkins, Sweet, Mackinlay, Whitlock, Evans, Durdin
Western Bulldogs: Lewis 2, West 2, Naughton 2, Richards, Jones, Bontempelli, Freijah

BEST
Port Adelaide: Butters, Aliir, Georgiades, Sweet, Farrell, Evans, Lai, Burgoyne
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Richards, Sanders, Sellwood, English, Freijah, Budarick

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Bergman (toe)
Western Bulldogs: TBC

Crowd: 33,883 at Adelaide Oval