PORT Adelaide coach Mark Williams is urging his club’s fans to take a “glass half full” approach to tonight’s heartbreaking six-point Showdown loss to Adelaide, despite it leaving the Power in dangerous territory with a 0-3 start to the season.

Williams says the way his side performed throughout the pulsating and at times brutal match was a big step forward compared to last week’s hammering from Sydney, after which club legend Josh Francou labeled some Port players as “sooks”.

“From last week to this week it was a hell of a lot better and that’s the attitude we take – we’re moving forward,” Williams said after the match.

“I’m sure all the Port Adelaide people, although disappointed with the result, will be enthused by the fact we won the inside 50s and clearances and tackles and played tough. We just didn’t get the result.

“They’d be disappointed but they’ve seen a very, very competitive game between two sides that were really trying to win.”

Williams described the gladiatorial contest – which at times resembled a smash-up derby during the hectic second and third quarters – as “terrific” and was unconcerned about criticism of the Power’s physical approach.

“As far as I was concerned it was terrific. They went hard at the ball. We saw blokes colliding … and that’s why people come and put their bums on seats and look forward to the Showdowns. It’s fantastic football.

“One week you get told off for not doing bumps and the next you’re told off for doing too many. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

But Williams is concerned about the Power’s inability to get a score on the board, and contrasted the Crows’ ability to seize their chances.

“Not kicking enough goals is the key factor [in the 0-3 start],” Williams said.

“I think they (the Crows) kicked 3.1 from set shots, and we kicked 3.4. You’ve just got to hit those set shots when you get them.

“And if you look at some of their goalkicking – Edwards and McLeod and Goodwin all nailed them when they needed them to.”

Noting Port’s tough opening draw – Geelong, Sydney (away) and Adelaide - Williams said the other major factor concerning him was his side’s inability to nail close matches compared to last season.

“We’ve lost two games by less than 10 points (to Geelong and now Adelaide), which certainly hasn’t been our way. And they all add up at the end of the year, so we have to do something about it now.

“It’s not the greatest start. But I think if we’d won the game today though we’d have been in the top eight. So we’re one kick away from being in the top eight.”

Port Adelaide’s Matt Thomas was reported by umpire Meredith for engaging in rough conduct against Nathan Bassett, but the Power have no injury concerns.