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Rollercoaster ride for Sturt

In a rollercoaster performance, Sturt needed a burst of five unanswered goals in the third quarter to eclipse Port Adelaide by 28 points at Alberton Oval on Sunday.

Patches of quality were too often overshadowed by periods of mistake-riddled football by the Doubles Blues.

The importance of the occasion failed to be reflected in the Magpie’s first-quarter effort as they strive to hold onto their loose grip of fifth spot.

Sturt was given far too much latitude to slip 26 points clear at the first change and the signs were promising for the league leaders.

However, moments of uncertainty, which had worried coach Rick Macgowan over recent weeks, returned in a dull second term where both sides coughed up numerous turnovers.

Then after the main break, Port Adelaide seriously challenged their opponents and cut the margin to just three points by midway through the third term, before the Double Blues produced their match-winning burst.

Midfielders Daniel Wicks and Luke Crane found plenty of the ball, and Scott McGlone continued his outstanding form in the backlines, holding up Magpie raids as well as providing a confident link from defence to attack.

Stephen O’Loughlin/The Advertiser