Crows midfielder Richard Douglas concedes Adelaide would have been lucky to win Showdown 44

ADELAIDE midfielder Richard Douglas concedes the Crows would have pinched it if they had of held on to beat Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Richard Douglas after kicking a goal in Showdown 44 on Saturday night. Picture: David Mariuz (AAP). Crows press conference

• Port steals Showdown in insane finish
• Gray’s class decides another epic derby
• Showdown 44: Crows v Power in pictures

ADELAIDE midfielder Richard Douglas concedes the Crows would have pinched it if they had of held on to beat Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Comprehensively out-played in the third quarter, Adelaide still dug deep to hit the front with two minutes to go after clutch goals to Taylor Walker and Mitch McGovern.

But Dougal Howard got on the end of a Hugh Greenwood clearance that saw Steven Motlop kick the game-winning goal for the Power with 21 seconds remaining.

“Oh yeah we would have pinched it, let’s be honest, but I wouldn’t have had any issue with pinching a game of footy - they’ve done it to us before,” Douglas said.

Hugh Greenwood tackles Port’s Tom Jonas. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“But to their credit they played some outstanding footy tonight and I’m sure everyone who turned up would walk away feeling they’ve watched a pretty good game.

“It’s obviously a pretty hollow feeling but it was a ripper game to be fair and we were obviously on the wrong side of it when the siren went.

“I’m pretty proud of the boys efforts to have the belief to come back from three goals down with four minutes left.

“There were a lot of big moments when they’re Showdowns and they’re close, I thought some boys stood up late - Hughy Greenwood was outstanding late at the centre bounce and the boys to have the composure to go back and kick those goals was super as well.

“So we’ll take a bit of confidence and belief out of that but fundamentally we were poor when it counted.

“We’re obviously disappointed with the third quarter we couldn’t minimise the damage when they got on top in contested footy and were able to get on the outside and out-work us.

“We just couldn’t wrestle back the momentum which cost us the game in the end.”

A dejected Eddie Betts after the game. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

While Port’s midfield was at full strength, Adelaide’s was missing two of its best in Brad Crouch and Rory Sloane who are injured but Douglas said that was no excuse.

“Not at all, we’ve been able to cover those boys well so once we get out there we’re not thinking about that at all,” he said.

“I thought we let ourselves down with the third quarter and start of the fourth, if you don’t produce for four quarters you really open yourself up and they’re a good side who took their opportunities.

“For us as good as it was to be able to fight back it was disappointing in the third quarter which cost us the game.”

[e-mail]