NORTH MELBOURNE has kept its finals hopes alive with a nail-biting two point win over Port Adelaide in a tight and fiercely contested battle on Saturday night in front of 19,851 fans at a cold AAMI Stadium.

The Kangaroos won 10.16 (76) to 10.14 (74) at the venue where they took an 87-point battering from Port in last year’s preliminary final, to remain just half a game outside the eight with a blockbuster against Collingwood to come on Friday night.

Port skipper Warren Tredrea had a chance to snatch victory for the Power with just seconds remaining, but couldn’t goal with a set shot from a tight angle.

It was a typical fighting performance from North, who trailed by 10 points at three-quarter time, but sealed the game with a three-goal-to-one final term.

Recently re-signed Daniel Pratt (28 possessions), evergreen Brent Harvey and the rejuvenated Daniel Wells were excellent all night for the visitors, while second-gamer Ben Ross was outstanding in the desperate final term.

Scott McMahon was the only multiple goalkicker for the winners while, for the Power, Brett Ebert kicked three and Nathan Lonie two.

Port opened with the aid of a breeze, and shot out to a 12-point lead with some fast, open football, including a highlight reel goal from 100-gamer Lonie, who did what he was recruited to do and booted truly on the run from 55 metres.

North Melbourne stood firm though, shut down Port’s run, and hit back as the quarter progressed. The brightest spot was a well-celebrated goal to Petrie set up by a clever tap from first-game ruckman Todd Goldstein.

By the time the quarter ended North had fought to a three-point lead.

But the true tale of the term was really wasted opportunities from both sides, with Shaun Burgoyne (twice) and Daniel Motlop missing set shots from inside 30 metres for Port. Harvey was chased down twice running into goal and Nathan Thompson and Matt Campbell missed simple set shots for the Kangaroos.

The second term opened in spectacular fashion with a goal to McMahon set up by a scorching four-bounce run from Harvey. This was followed by a 50-metre bomb from Pratt on the run.

The Kangaroos bounded to a 17-point lead, and Port seemed bereft of ideas and desire.

Just as it seemed the Power might be meandering to their sixth home loss of the season, a desperate effort from key defender Troy Chaplin to chase down and tackle the smaller, faster Campbell as he was running into an open goal proved team lifting.

That act was no doubt used by Port coach Mark Williams at half-time to fire up his charges, and from that point on the game was nothing short of a ding-dong battle, the Power playing with a passion absent from their game for weeks.

A goal to Burgoyne and another on the run from 50m to Lonie saw the Power hit the front half-way through the third term.

Wells responded for the Kangaroos, but an inspired two-goal patch from Ebert – fired up by a clash with Pratt – saw the home side go into the last break with a 10-point lead.

A goal to Ross in the first minute of the last term – his career-first – drew the Kangaroos back within a kick, and 12 minutes of desperate football ensued before David Hale put North Melbourne back in front.

A further eight minutes of desperate end-to-end stuff followed before Lindsay Thomas broke the deadlock with a sensational snap from the square to put the Kangaroos nine points clear 21 minutes into the term.

But it wasn’t over yet. Daniel Motlop gave the home fans hope by goaling from a free kick, and then captain Warren Tredrea had one last chance to snatch the game for the Power with seconds remaining, but missed his set shot from a tough angle.

The Kangaroos now host Collingwood in a season-shaping Friday night blockbuster at Telstra Dome, while Port meet the wounded Crows in the year’s second Showdown.

NORTH MELBOURNE   4.6  6.10  7.13  10.16  (76)
PORT ADELAIDE     4.3  5.7   9.11  10.14  (74)

Goals:
North Melbourne: S McMahon 2 D Pratt N Thompson D Petrie A Simpson D Wells D Hale B Ross L Thomas. Port Adelaide: B Ebert 3 N Lonie 2 A Thomson S Burgoyne G Bentley J Westhoff D Motlop.

Best:
North Melbourne: B Rawlings D Wells A Simpson S Power B Ross D Petrie. Port Adelaide: B Ebert K Cornes J Surjan T Chaplin N Lonie.

Umpires: H Kennedy H Ryan M Nicholls.

Official Crowd: 19,851 at AAMI Stadium.