IT WAS there to be won, but for the fifth agonising week in a row, Carlton couldn’t grab it as it succumbed to an erratic Adelaide, 15.15(105) to 12.14 (86).
Trailing by seven points at the final change, on the back of a spirited third-quarter comeback, the Blues hit the front briefly early in the final term but couldn’t hold out the Crows in the run to the line.
Scott Welsh proved the match winner with three last term goals to ice a game that ebbed and flowed from the outset.
Carlton coach Denis Pagan made his intentions clear early by loading the forward 50 arc with match winners Brendan Fevola, skipper Lance Whitnall and explosive playmaker Jarrad Waite.
His ploy worked with Fevola and Waite goaling within the opening six minutes and Whitnall adding another midway through the first term to give the side a handy three-goal lead. Early doors it was all the Blues.
When Brad Fisher intercepted an ambitious Graham Johncock pass and goaled after being awarded a 50-metre penalty, suddenly the underdogs held a commanding 22-point lead.
With the forward line firing and the midfield rekindling its early season enthusiasm, the Blues dictated terms to an Adelaide side that looked sluggish on the back of some uncharacteristic mistakes.
The usual run and carry of Andrew McLeod was non-existent as he struggled to break the Ryan Houlihan tag while in defence Bret Thornton, Bryce Gibbs and Jason Saddington held firm. Gibbs in particular looked sharp as he rebounded with poise and authority early.
As sharp as the Blues were in the first term they were equally jagged in the second.
The 15-point quarter-time advantage evaporated within eight minutes courtesy of two Jason Porpylzia goals and a long-range bomb from Nathan Bock.
It was the beginning of an Adelaide avalanche as the Crows slammed on six goals for the quarter while at the other end holding the hapless Carlton goalless.
The intensity with which the Blues played the first term disappeared in a flash as the Crows got on top all over the field. With Fevola well held by Ben Rutten and the midfield of Heath Scotland, Adam Bentick and Marc Murphy struggling to contain their Adelaide counterparts, Carlton lacked both an avenue to goal and a winning target up forward.
Down back, Pagan was having a hell of a time finding a match for Luke Jericho and Porplyzia, who were instrumental in setting up the Crows 24-point half-time lead.
Seemingly struggling for inspiration as it limped to change rooms on the half, Carlton somehow conjured a spark from nowhere early in the third term.
Two goals to Waite and another to Fevola within six minutes of the restart cut the margin to five points and importantly breathed life into the previously listless outfit.
Across the board the intensity lifted. Kade Simpson was dominating his wing, Andrew Walker and Andrew Carrazzo grabbed the ascendency from Simon Goodwin and Tyson Edwards while Waite and Fevola outplayed Rutten and Nathan Bassett to provide reliable targets up forward.
When Carlton favourite son Anthony Koutoufides turned the clock back with a vintage snap goal close to the three-quarter time siren, Blues’ fans sensed an upset.
Senses were heightened one minute into the final term when Brad Fisher marked in the goal square to reduce the margin to a point. Minutes later they led by a point after Waite and Houlihan missed gettable shots, but it was short-lived.
Enter Welsh. With the Blues struggling to break down Adelaide’s flooding tactics, Welsh got on the end of three Crow counter attacks to kick three goals that iced the Carlton revival, and the game.
For the fifth week in a row the Blues frustratingly had their chances but couldn’t capitalise when the game was there to be won. Waite did all he could with four goals, while Walker, Simpson, Matthew Lappin, Carrazzo and Murphy never stopped trying.
CARLTON 5.2 5.4 11.11 12.14 (86)ADELAIDE 2.5 8.10 12.12 15.15 (105)GOALSCarlton: Waite 4, Koutoufides 2, Fevola 2, Fisher 2, Scotland, Whitnall.
Adelaide: Welsh 4, Jericho 3, Porplyzia 3, Reilly 2, Perrie, Bock, Shirley.
BESTCarlton: Carrazzo, Koutoufides, Waite, Simpson, Murphy, Walker, Houlihan, Scotland.
Adelaide: Goodwin, Shirley, Mattner, Hudson, Reilly, Knights, Thompson, Welsh.
INJURIESCarlton: Nil.
Adelaide: Griffin (ankle).
Reports: Carlton: M Lappin reported by umpire Head for attempting to trip J Torney in the third quarter.
Umpires: Donlon, McBurney, Head
Official crowd: 27,504 at Telstra Dome
