Fremantle have survived a stunning comeback from Adelaide to win a thriller by two points on Friday night.
The Dockers led by 34 points midway through the third term before the Crows kicked the next seven goals either side of three-quarter time to look the likely winners.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Alex Pearce’s epic smother to seal victory
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But Fremantle responded with the next two to take the lead and then withstood wave after wave of attack to hold on for victory.
In the final two minutes, Ben Keays had a tough set shot that just went wide before defender James Borlase scrambled a shot that bounced into the post.
There was still time for one final effort with James Peatling finding himself in space just inside forward 50. But just as he unleashed his shot at goal, Fremantle captain Alex Pearce came diving in from nowhere to pull off an epic smother to save the game.
The siren sounded seconds later and Dockers players all rushed to their skipper after the heroic act.
“He’s such a great leader. He’s done an amazing job to save that game,” former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said on Fox Footy.
Coach Justin Longmuir was typically understated despite admiring the incredible smother.
“It’s a super smother. He’s a competitor and that’s why we love him as our captain,” he said.
The Crows will be left to rue their final quarter after spurning a string of late chances to win the game.
Ruckman Reilly O’Brien, who was playing his first game of the season, will have nightmares after a horror turnover late in the final quarter.
He had won a free kick just outside 50, but inexplicably kicked it straight into Sean Darcy on the mark and the Dockers took the ball the length of the field for Josh Treacy to dribble home what ended up being the final goal of the match.
Freo midfielders Caleb Serong (32 disposals, six clearances), Murphy Reid (26 touches) and Angus Brayshaw (25, one goal) were stand-outs.
Jye Amiss (four goals) feasted in attack alongside Patrick Voss (two goals) and Treacy (two goals) while Judd McVee (22 touches) and Neil Erasmus (21) were busy.
Adelaide defenders Wayne Milera (27 possessions) and Josh Worrell (23) were superb and on-baller James Peatling gathered 25 touches, seven clearances and a goal.
But captain Jordan Dawson was the only multiple goalscorer for the Crows, who slipped to a third loss from four games.
Two Crows — forward Darcy Fogarty (back) and winger Isaac Cumming (illness) — were late withdrawals, replaced by Finnbar Maley and Chayce Jones.
Maley kicked the first goal of the game with a checkside effort from the boundary but the Dockers soon gained the ascendancy.
Freo, with 12 clearances to four and almost 40 more disposals than the Crows, controlled the first quarter but couldn’t quite cash in on the scoreboard, kicking 4.3 to 3.3.
The Dockers stretched their lead to 26 points with three goals, including Amiss’s third, in a five-minute burst.
Fremantle held a 25-point advantage at halftime when Adelaide had 14 players with five or less disposals.
The Dockers jumped 34 points clear – a match-high margin – when Amiss slotted his fourth major 10 minutes into the third quarter.
But the Crows rallied in dramatic fashion with five consecutive majors to no score. When Peatling goaled on the run, they were only four points down.
Freo held that slight four-point buffer at the final change before Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker put the hosts in front with a set shot.
Skipper Dawson soon followed with an accurate snap and the Crows were seven points ahead.
But they couldn’t close the deal.
Freo’s Bolton restored the visitors’ lead, before Treacy threaded a dribbling goal from a tight angle.
– With AAP
