CARLTON kept its finals dream alive with a slogging 10-point win over a dogged North Melbourne in a tense four-quarter encounter played out in front of 38,554 fans.

After trailing by 11 points at half time the Blues burst back into the contest with a six-goal to four third term, then hung tough in the final quarter as North succumbed to inaccuracy.

Despite a valiant effort to honour retiring veteran Adam Simpson, the Roos kicked nine straight points in a woeful final-term display that thwarted their attempts to cause a brave upset.

In the end it was the Blues who triumphed 14.10 (94) to 11.18 (84) despite kicking just two goals in the final stanza.

Marc Murphy proved a key with 23 possessions and four goals, Brendan Fevola maintained good body language throughout to end with three, while Nick Stevens enjoyed a welcome return to form to gather 25 touches.

After the match Carlton players joined their North counterparts to form a guard of honour as Simpson trudged from the field for the last time.

North signalled its intention to fight tooth and nail for its former skipper when Lindsay Thomas snared the game’s first goal six minutes in.

With Liam Anthony getting plenty of footy, Levi Greenwood successfully shadowing Chris Judd and Hamish McIntosh causing Matthew Kreuzer and Shaun Hampson all sorts of problems, the Roos met every Blue challenge head on.

Despite goals to Stevens and Murphy, Carlton, like it was for much of last week’s match, was stagnant, lacked presence up forward and was woefully inefficient by foot.

In many ways the Blues were lucky to be level pegging at the first break given their inability to hit targets.

Irish big man Setanta O’hAilpin kicked his side a goal clear early in the second term, but like the first, North had answers.

Despite losing the dangerous Leigh Harding to a hamstring injury midway through the second quarter, the Roos continued to display resilience across the board.

Anthony, skipper Brent Harvey, McIntosh and Simpson led the charge while down back Nathan Grima and Scott McMahon were proving reliable.

Scott Thompson niggled Brendan Fevola every chance he got, with the Carlton match winner finally breaking the shackles at the 25-minute mark of the second term to at least give his side some impetus heading to half time.

But, trailing by 11 points, and with the shadow of Simpson’s 300th looming large, the Blues had the task ahead.

After a sloppy, error-ridden first half both sides drank from the same bottle at the main change, and the result was a flurry of early goals to start the third term.

Drew Petrie out-muscled Mark Austin to goal, set up another for Brent Harvey after a strong contested mark, while the Blues answered with Murphy’s second and a brilliant set shot effort from Bryce Gibbs.

With its season effectively on the line, the Blues lifted.

Judd went forward to get on top of Greenwood, Stevens, Kreuzer, Kade Simpson found space, Denis Armfield provided some stoic rebound and importantly Carlton began winning the ball out of the centre.

Bret Thornton, who injured a shoulder early in the contest, got thrown forward to mark a goal, and when Fevola kicked his second the Blues hit the front in a significant momentum shift heading it was able to maintain in the run to three-quarter time.

The last quarter saw the return of sloppy football, as North continually squandered goal scoring chances. Five of its last-quarter chances were gettable, including simple set shots by Petrie and McIntosh.

Murphy made them pay to kick his fourth after a Fevola pass and when Thornton pinched his second it was enough to get the Blues home.

Anthony ended with 33 touches for the Roos while Harvey (32), Brady Rawlings (27) and McIntosh (20) never stopped trying.


DETAILS

North Melbourne    3.4    7.9    11.9    11.18 (84)
Carlton                    3.4    6.4    12.7    14.10 (94)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Thomas 4 Harding 2 Petrie 2 Harvey McIntosh Swallow
Carlton: Murphy 4 Fevola 3 Gibbs 2 Stevens 2 Thornton 2 O’hAilpin

BEST
North Melbourne: Petrie Harvey McIntosh Greenwood Anthony Thomas Rawlings
Carlton: Murphy Gibbs Stevens Armfield Fevola Walker

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Harding (hamstring), Greenwood (knee), Grima (corked thigh)
Carlton: Jamison (groin) replaced in selected side by Hadley. Thornton (A/C joint), Bower (knee)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Rosebury, Ryan
Official crowd: 38,554 at Docklands


The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.


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