Final Scores:
Magpies 2.4 3.4 7.7 9.9 (63)
Tigers 3.5 7.6 7.7 9.7 (61)
Port Adelaide won their first match of the season with a gutsy two point win over Glenelg at Alberton on Saturday.
The Magpies, who were on the other side of a close game last week, showed serious resolve to come back and win 9.9 (63) to 9.7 (61).
The home side trailed by 26 points at the main break but came out with intensity in the second half and scored a goal within the first minute.
The third quarter belonged to the Magpies as Port Adelaide piled on 4.3 to Glenelg’s one point.
Bradley Mercer had a set shot from 40 metres that went wide, but was given another chance after the umpire awarded a 25 metre penalty and another kick.
He didn’t make the same mistake twice.
Just minutes later, John Butcher kicked his first and the young side had plenty of confidence as they started to win the one-on-one ball around the ground.
Brett Ebert took a strong, trademark overhead grab 40 metres out and kicked truly to even the scores just before the final break.
Ebert, in his 50th game for the Magpies was sensational both up forward and in the middle racking up 30 disposals for the match.
Cameron Miller and Tim Milera also caused problems for the Tigers throughout the contest.
Port looked very impressive when they ran the ball and relied on their speed and skill to push forward.
The final quarter started perfectly for the Pies, with Tim Milera snagging a goal in the first 30 seconds to give Port Adelaide its first lead since the opening quarter.
However, Glenelg fought back behind a cheeky goal from Cameron Hitchcock that snuck over the top of the pack to snatch back the lead.
The goal was Glenelg’s first since just before half time, but just three minutes later, Jordan McMahon, who had 25 possessions for the match, slotted another.
John Butcher kicked what proved to be the match winning goal soon after thanks to some scrappy, hard work by teammates in the goal square.
An injury to Glenelg’s Daniel Kirk 20 minutes into the final term gave both teams a chance to regroup whilst he was stretchered from the field.
Glenelg seemed to respond best from the stoppage and had a good opportunity just moments later but Mark Ruwoldt shanked the chance out of bounds on the full.
Great grabs in defence by Luke Harder and Matthew Lokan were instrumental in the final 10 minutes of the game as Port Adelaide held on for the win.
Josh Thurgood was dangerous up forward, despite Port Adelaide having trouble delivering the ball to their forwards early in the match.
Both teams struggled to adjust to the difficult, swirly conditions at Alberton; particularly Port Adelaide who wasted opportunities after having possession up forward for most of the first quarter.
When asked what changed from the first half to the second, Magpies’ Coach Tony Bamford said, ‘the biggest difference was the work rate and the effectiveness of the midfield’.
Coach Bamford acknowledged that the victory was a relief for the Magpies after a devastating three point loss to Norwood last week.
‘The players were pretty cut up after last week…It’s good to reward them for their effort’, he said.
Goals:
Magpies: Ebert 2, Butcher 2, Milera 2, Mercer, Gray, Miller
Tigers: Hitchcock 3, Grima 2, Trembath, Kirkby, Tenace, McMahon
Best:
Magpies: Ebert, Summerton, Meiklejohn, Dolling, Harder
Tigers: Hitchcock, McMahon, Bradley
