Fast-finishing Port Adelaide pip Fremantle in thriller

Jason Horne-Francis has booted the match-winning goal as a fast-finishing Port Adelaide overran Fremantle by three points in an AFL thriller.

The Power scored the last two goals to triumph 9.12 (66) to 9.9 (63) on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.

Horne-Francis kicked the go-ahead goal with three minutes remaining as the Power (four wins, one loss) took second spot on the ladder.

The Dockers led a gruelling encounter by nine points with seven minutes left, but slipped to a second defeat of the season.

“You have just got to find a way sometimes and to our boys’ credit, they actually found a way in the last quarter,” Port coach Ken Hinkley said.

“That shows a fair bit of maturity to actually have to win it differently and you can’t always get it on your terms.”

Port skipper Connor Rozee (26 disposals) and Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines (25) were influential in the midfield and halfbacks Dan Houston (27 touches) and Kane Farrell (26) provided dash from defence.

Forwards Charlie Dixon and Mitch Georgiades kicked two goals apiece and ruck recruit Ivan Soldo dominated the hitouts – 54 to Luke Jackson’s 22 – but the big Docker had some impact around the ground with 21 possessions.

Fremantle midfielders Caleb Serong (29 disposals) and Hayden Young (27) continued their fine seasons.

Captain Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan (24 touches) ruled supreme in defence while Josh Treacy’s scoring impact was supported by two goals from Jye Amiss.

Dockers skipper Alex Pearce handballs under pressure from Port’s Ivan Soldo and Darcy Byrne-Jones. (Michael Errey/AAP PHOTOS)

Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said it was”flattening” to lose – they also suffered a narrow loss to Carlton last weekend in Adelaide’s Gather Round.

“To go home from Adelaide being in front in both games with probably three or four minutes to go, yeah, it’s flattening,” he said.

“But I think our belief should have built the last two weeks, we played two  really good sides and mixed it with them really well and pushed them all the way.

“We just need to make sure we keep learning from it.”

The Power, with Georgiades scoring twice, held a seven-point quarter-time lead, 3.3 to 2.2, and Dixon put the home side 13 points clear early in the second term before Treacy’s scoring spree.

The 41-gamer converted three shots in a five-minute burst and the Dockers went in to halftime six points clear.

Freo’s 5.5 to 4.5 advantage was also built by on-ballers Serong, who had 18 first-half touches, alongside Young (16) and Jordan Clark (15).

The third term was a fruitless 15 minutes before Port’s Miles Bergman snapped the scoring stalemate with a superb 50-metre bomb from near a boundary line.

Bergman’s strike gave the Power the lead and helped the hosts keep within four points of the Dockers at three-quarter-time.

Fremantle’s Amiss was on the end of a Treacy pass early in the final quarter and scored as the visitors again crept 10 points up.

But the Power’s Dixon, who goaled after a strong overhead mark, and Horne-Francis converted late shots to delight their parochial 35,658-strong crowd.