Erin Phillips seals Adelaide’s come from behind victory with a matchwinning goal against Carlton

TALK about a captain’s goal. With her side trailing in the final term, Erin Phillips delivered a fifty five metre bomb to put the Crows in front for the first time in the match.

Erin Phillips slots match winning goal against Carlton.

TALK about a captain’s goal.

With her side trailing in the final term, Erin Phillips delivered a fifty-five metre bomb to put the Crows in front of Carlton for the first time in the match.

It was the last goal of the game. And the winner.

“It was unbelievable. It was such a tough battle,” Phillips told Fox Footy after the match.

“Full credit to Carlton, they were just so hard at it and put the pressure on.”

Jubilation from the Crows after the final siren. Picture: Sarah Reed

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The Blues did their homework and shut down Adelaide’s kicking game. Last week against the Western Bulldogs, Bec Goddard’s girls only handballed 36 times.

But they were forced to go via hand 53 times against Carlton, limiting their trademark run and carry.

With their marquee Kellie Gibson taking no part in the match after injuring her right ankle in the first 30 seconds of the first quarter, Adelaide’s forward structure struggled.

But through Sarah ‘Tex’ Perkins and Phillips, they were able to get on top in the second half, particularly when Carlton’s Brianna Davey was benched through her own injury.

“We had a great preseason. We put full trust in our fitness,” Phillips said.

“We know we’re the best the end of the game. We knew our leg speed and our endurance was going to kick in.”

Perkins was particularly instrumental in the second and third terms, when Carlton was firmly in control of the match.

In the dying minutes of the second quarter, she laid a bone crushing tackle on Lauren Attard — a physical demonstration that she meant business.

When the second half resumed, it was Perkins’ second, third and fourth efforts that trapped the ball in the Crows’ forward 50.

She didn’t get credit on the scoreboard, but Perkins was game turning.

“I’m very proud of the girls today,’ Perkins told Fox Footy.

”We had to work really hard for it. It was an amazing game of football.

“They’ve got a very strong backline. I found it tough personally. It was hard to breakaway and play our game of footy, but we got there in the end.”

Originally published as Erin Phillips seals Adelaide’s come from behind victory with a matchwinning goal against Carlton