A four-goal final term wasn’t enough for South Adelaide to snatch a dramatic win, as the Panthers fell just two points short in a thrilling mid-week clash against ladder-leaders Sturt at Karen Rolton Oval.

South Adelaide almost got off to a dream start, applying strong frontal pressure and surging the ball deep inside fifty within the first 30 seconds. 

Patrick Carman’s improvised volley flew narrowly wide for a behind, but it signalled early intent from the Panthers.

Despite the early opportunity, it was Sturt who opened the scoring a few minutes later. 

Carman made up for his earlier miss soon after, collecting a tricky bounce from Cain Florance and snapping brilliantly on his left from the boundary to ignite South’s scoring.

Skipper Jesse Nye and Archie Van Dyk led by example around the contest, laying strong tackles and winning clearances as the match settled into a physical arm-wrestle. 

A three-goal burst from Sturt would saw the margin blow out quickly to 26 points, with two of them coming from  costly turnovers deep in South’s defence. 

Despite the Double Blues’ momentum, Cameron Woods and Jackson Blacker remained composed in defence, while Jake Wigzell offered plenty of rebound from the back half. 

South desperately needed a response, and it came when Archie Price was awarded a free kick for a high tackle at the top of the square. He made no mistake.

At quarter-time, Sturt held a 20-point lead following a five-goal opening term.

South Adelaide began the second quarter with renewed energy and intensity. Ruckman Max Savage held his own in a tightly contested battle, even drawing multiple free kicks from his opponent. 

The Panthers capitalised early when Callan Hart’s smart intercept and pass found Hudson Voigt on the lead. Voigt slotted the first of the term.

Sustained tackling pressure from South made it difficult for Sturt to exit their defensive half. Nye looked to have added another, only for his quick snap to be ruled touched off the boot. 

Moments later, Van Dyk intercepted a poor Sturt kick and fired the ball deep inside fifty, but Carman couldn’t take a mark in the square at full pace, eventually falling over for a rushed behind.

Persistence paid off shortly after, with Carman marking strongly and kicking his second from point-blank range. 

The momentum was with the Panthers, and when Kodah Edwards courageously went back with the flight to mark in the pocket, he had a chance to level the scores. 

His left-foot snap capped off a stunning ten-minute burst that erased Sturt’s four-goal advantage.

Sturt managed to steady with back-to-back goals, but South remained in the hunt. Florance and Voigt were instrumental at half-forward, providing link-up play and delivering inside 50 with purpose. 

Florance was rewarded for his pressure with a free kick, and he coolly converted from 45 metres to cut the margin to six points at the main break.

The third term began just as frenetically as the first two, with Sturt striking inside 30 seconds. But South hit back quickly through Florance, who intercepted a loose handball and raced into an open goal for his second.

Though not prolific as recent weeks, Tom Simpson continued to show his class, sparking attacking forays with sharp disposal. 

Carman again proved dangerous up forward, clunking a contested mark and converting to reduce the margin to 15 points, bringing his tally to three goals for the match.

Elliott Duffield and Wigzell were effective out of defence, but South couldn't completely stem Sturt’s scoring. 

Harrison Davey added a clever goal from close range, but consecutive replies from the Double Blues gave them a 24-point buffer at three-quarter time.

With the game on the line, South came out swinging in the final term. Voigt’s sharp mark low to the ground led to an early goal, giving the Panthers a much-needed boost.

Nye and Van Dyk were immense in the clinches, finding time and space where few others could.

Sturt responded to Voigt’s goal by restoring their four-goal lead as the clock approached halfway, but South weren’t done yet. 

Following two behinds, Van Dyk stepped up with a booming goal from 50 to reignite the charge.

The Panthers continued to surge. Hart nailed a composed set shot from a tight angle, reducing the margin to eight points. 

As the contest intensified, every possession mattered. Edwards fought hard at the stoppages and got the ball forward once again.

Voigt hacked a tumbling kick inside fifty, where Simpson pounced, snapping brilliantly in traffic to bring the deficit to just two points as the clock ticked into red time.

South Adelaide pushed hard for the match-winner in the dying minutes, but Sturt’s defensive structure held strong. 

Desperate smothers and intense pressure denied South clean looks at goal. Moments later the siren sounded, allowing the Double Blues to escape with a heart-stopping two-point win.

South Adelaide will look to bring that same intensity when they face second-placed Woodville-West Torrens at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 24 May at 1:50pm.

Despite a gallant effort across four quarters, South Adelaide were unable to withstand a late surge from Sturt, as the Double Blues claimed a 24-point win under lights at Karen Rolton Oval.

Sturt made an immediate impact in the mid-week clash, slotting the first goal within a minute. But the lead was short-lived, with South responding almost instantly through a centre clearance. 

Zemes Pilot wrong-footed an opponent and found Joel Wigzell near the behind post. Wigzell marked strongly and calmly snapped truly on his right foot to kick South Adelaide’s’ firs of the night.

Both sides brought fierce intensity early, with contested ball and repeat stoppages a hallmark of the opening term. After a scrappy few minutes, Sturt broke the deadlock with two quick goals, pushing the lead out to 13 points.

South needed a lift, and Caleb Hyland provided it with a strong centre clearance. Kody Burke’s pressure allowed Darcy Campbell-Kearney to send the ball deep, resulting in a rushed behind. 

Sturt had chances to increase their lead, but inaccurate kicking saw them add only minor scores. South capitalised when Campbell-Kearney delivered inside 50 to Fergus Vogt. 

Although Vogt’s shot fell short, Pilot pounced on the loose ball, shrugged defenders and snapped truly to bring the Panthers within a kick.

The Double Blues, however, responded just before the late in the quarter to restore a two-goal buffer at quarter-time.

South came out firing in the second term, with a goal inside 20 seconds. Hyland again set the tone with a clean clearance, and Campbell-Kearney finished brilliantly on the run.

But just as South threatened to seize momentum, Sturt hit back with two goals of their own.

Under pressure, South’s defence held firm. Sam Walsh and Dale Shearer competed well, frustrating their direct opponents, while Jayce Potter used his foot skills to launch attacks from the back half. 

Despite Sturt dominating territory, ruckman Deklan Warren battled manfully to give his midfielders a chance, with skipper Hudson Boal and Hyland continuing to drive the ball forward.

After a 22-minute goal drought, Wigzell again provided a spark with a contested mark and goal from the square, trimming the margin to 19 points at the main break.

The third term began with a Sturt behind, before Campbell-Kearney found Wigzell on the lead, though the forward couldn’t convert for his third.

Tom Meaney’s quick hands released Dylan Noyce, who accelerated away and hit up South in the pocket. The youngster made no mistake with his set shot.

Moments later, Noyce turned goal-scorer himself, receiving a handball from Vogt and snapping truly to reduce the margin to just six points.

The momentum continued with a free kick awarded inside 50 following Noyce’s goal, and Campbell-Kearney calmly slotted his second to level the scores.

A rushed behind gave South their first lead of the night, but the Double Blues steadied with two late goals to take an 11-point lead into the final change.

With everything to play for, the first goal of the term was crucial - and it went Sturt’s way within the opening minute. Another goal extended the lead to 24 points, leaving South with a mountain to climb.

Needing a response, Oliver South nearly produced a moment of magic, collecting a ball deep inside-50 on the boundary, dancing around a few defenders before bellying the ball. 

Fortunately for South Adelaide, the miss kick would result in an opportunistic finish from Tyler Harris to keep his side within touching distance. 

With time slowly starting to become an issue, Boal showcased his composure across half-back to kickstart a promising attack that resulted in a towering, contested mark to Pilot. 

After Pilot cooly converted his set from 25 metres out the margin had reduced to just 13 points. 

South had chances to get within a goal, but Harris’ snap bounced the wrong side of the post, and Nathan Flesfadar’s shot thudded into the padding for a behind.

Sturt made the most of their opportunities late, kicking two goals to seal the game and snuff out South’s comeback hopes.

As the final siren sounded, the Double Blues had done enough to secure a hard-fought 24-point win.

South Adelaide will look to bounce back when they take on Woodville-West Torrens at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 24 May at 11:30am.