IN FRONT of a bumper MCG crowd of 77,321, Carlton couldn’t capitalise on a stirring first half as it went down to an in-form Collingwood 17.17 (119) to 14.11 (95).

After jumping out to a handy 19-point lead at the main change all the signs were there for a famous Carlton win over its arch enemy. But, it wasn’t to be as the Magpies piled on 13 second-half goals to six to overrun their young and inexperienced counterparts in a thoroughly entertaining, and at times willing, match.

Coming off the back of three straight losses Carlton started the game nervously.

The opening 10 minutes belonged to Collingwood, which squandered numerous chances to set the Blues back on their heels.

After emerging Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury notched the Pies' first five minutes in, the Blues steadied the ship thanks to the workrate of its on-ball brigade.

Heath Scotland, Adam Bentick, Andrew Carrazzo and Kade Simpson were relentless with their ferocity at the man and ball, and when Eddie Betts kicked the Blues first after a great tackle on Brodie Holland, it was game on.

As the intensity lifted, so did the Blues’ confidence. With Andrew Walker outpointing Dale Thomas across half-back, Lance Whitnall doing likewise to Anthony Rocca and Ross Young playing a tagging role across half-forward Magpie rebounder Heath Shaw, Carlton frustrated the Magpies into error.

That pressure would translate onto the scoreboard after Brendan Fevola kicked two goals in four minutes after marking strongly twice inside 50.

Minutes later Matthew Lappin goaled on the run after another Magpie error and when Josh Kennedy slotted his first after a downfield free kick against Dale Thomas, the Blues went to the first change with a handy 20-point lead.

The Magpies started the second term as they had the first – inaccurately. Its only reward for complete control was a goal to Alan Didak that cut the margin to 15 points.

Soon after Carlton again wrested control as Murphy, Scotland, Jordan Russell, Adam Bentick, Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Carrazzo continually won the ball while at the same time shutting down opponents.

Up forward Fevola was adding the polish. He received a dubious free kick off the ball to kick his third and added another late in the term after getting on the end of a beautiful Jordan Russell pass.

Suddenly the lead was out to 25 points, and would have stayed that way of not for a lapse of concentration from Blue defenders that allowed Josh Fraser to mark in the goal square with a second remaining in the half. The goal gave the Pies some impetus heading into the main change.

After a tight, low scoring first half no one would have predicted what transpired in a pulsating third term. The Magpies wiped the Blues 19-point lead within seven minutes of the restart through goals to Rocca, Didak and Toovey.

The Blues stemmed the flow through a goal to Young, but it was short lived as the Pies slammed home three of the next four to lead by 11 points.

Carlton was stunned. The intensity of the first half had gone. Prestigiacomo got on top of Fevola up forward and the Shaw boys, Rhyce and Heath, controlled the game from half-back.

Through the middle Tarkyn Lockyer, Dale Thomas and Dane Swan did as they pleased against a Carlton midfield that had been brilliant in the first half.

Just when the cause looked lost, Jarrad Waite rammed home his first and Matthew Lappin another right on the three-quarter time siren to breath life into the Blues heading into the final term.

However, the Magpies took little time in sucking that life from the gallant Blues. They kicked six unanswered goals in the opening 20-minutes of the final term to ice what to that point had been an entertaining clash.

Travis Cloke proved unstoppable in booting three goals in four minutes.

Despite the loss to the Blues can take plenty into next week.

Scotland was again superb in the middle, Bentick lifted his effort around the ground and Murphy, Walker and Simpson were tireless workers throughout.

Youngsters in Gibbs, Bower and Young did enough to give fans some heart heading into next week’s big clash with the Kangaroos.