SANFL 2006 ROUND 20: WEST ADELAIDE v PORT ADELAIDE

Magpies starting to peak

By ERIC WELTNER

AN INSPIRED Jeremy Clayton performance – 47 possessions, six goals, five tackles and even a hit-out – was instrumental in keeping Port Magpies' finals hopes alive with a 57-point victory at Broadspectrum Oval.

Clayton's most dangerous work on Saturday, booting five of Port's nine goals up until the early stages of the second term, came while West seriously threatened to repeat their round nine upset.

West Adelaide's only win this year so far came when these teams last met, and for the first quarter and a half a young, enthusiastic Bloods outfit matched the Magpies goal for goal during an incredible 29-goal first-half shootout.

Fourth game 18-year-old Lindsay Thomas booted his first goal in senior company mid-way during the second quarter, and promptly added a second as Port began to break the Bloods open.

Port's pacy ball carriers, the likes of Luke Slattery, Troy Butcher, Kyle Jenner and Shayne Biacsi were influential during a game-busting 10-goal second stanza.

The Magpies continued to build on their five-goal half-time lead, not allowing the complacency that brought them undone during their previous encounter with West to set in.

Coach Tim Ginever said after the game that he was concerned with the lack of defensive pressure at times.

“The accountability on the turnover cost us a lot today, we've got to be a lot better at that,” he said.

Port's boss said after losing six out of eight games, he wanted his side to be peaking during the lead-in to the finals.

“We've had our down period as far as far as being flat – we're coming good at the right time.”

Next Saturday the Magpies face another struggler, hosting Sturt at Alberton – the club's last home game of the season.

Port cannot afford a slip-up against the Double Blues as a loss could see it tumble out of the top five.

SCORES: Port Adelaide 7.1 17.5 21.8 26.18 (174) defeated West 7.3 12.3 14.8 17.10 (112).

BEST: Port – J. Clayton, Baird, AhChee, Slattery; West – Donaldson, Hollands, Dragicevic.

GOALS: Port – J. Clayton 6, Jenner, Waterhouse 4, Poulton, Slattery, Davis, Thomas 2, Butcher, Lokan, Biacsi, Summerton; West – Caire 3, Hollands, Donaldson, Barnett, Vanderloo 2, Schmidt, Haynes, Bayliss, Buckley, O'Sullivan, Porplyzia.