COLLINGWOOD 1.6     5.7     9.7     10.8     (68)

GOALS Adelaide: Betts 3, Lyons, Lynch 2, Jenkins, Walker, Cameron, Atkins, Jacobs, Henderson, McGovern. Collingwood: Crisp, Greenwood, Cloke 2, Adams, Moore, Varco, Aish.

BEST  Adelaide: BCrouch, Sloane, Lever, Henderson, Smith, Jacobs. Collingwood: Treloar, Adams, Pendlebury, Grundy, Crisp, Sinclair.

UMPIRES  Margetts,  Meredith, Fleer.

CROWD 50,012 at Adelaide Oval.

Good sides find a way to win scrappy games and that was what Adelaide did against Collingwood at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Both teams put in enormous effort, their structures were sound and the pressure was tremendous, but when it came to some basic skills for most part they were found wanting.

This was Adelaide's 12th win for the season and eighth straight – their best run since 2006 and two wins short of a club record 10 – to propel them to second spot, but they made hard work of it because Collingwood refused to relent.

The ultimate blow the Crows delivered came when they kicked the first five goals of the match to lead by 28 points just 17 minutes into the game, but it took another 45 minutes  to kick their next.

During this drought the Magpies dominated most of the play – they racked up clearances and uncontested possessions and gave themselves every chance to also take control on the scoreboard. But so many times they turned the ball over with poor decision making or skill errors under pressure, and had Adelaide been at their sharpest they would have made them pay dearly.

However, the Crows also found it difficult to gather clean possessions early. The difference was, they recovered at crucial stages when it mattered, reflected by the fact at half-time Collingwood led with most statistics at half-time but trailed by 18 points.

Adelaide had been playing terrific team football for some weeks, but tonight had a lot struggling to grab the ball cleanly – as did the Magpies.

Yet again, there was so much focus on Collingwood forward Travis Cloke against a likely All-Australian defender in Daniel Talia, and while Cloke's stats didn't appear flattering his competitiveness was terrific. He took two strong marks in the first term when the Pies were desperate for inspiration, but on both occasions he was well out from goal and with no teammates forward.

Both sides found it difficult to break each other's forward defensive patterns, but when Collingwood did  clear, often the difference was Adelaide's ability to rush at least 16 players into the Pies' inside-50 zone and choke the play – and of course, Cloke and Darcy Moore didn't have it easy.

Regular Adelaide ball-winner, the courageous Rory Sloane, had it tough against an annoying Levi Greenwood, yet still had a big impact.

While much talk focuses on Adelaide's need to retain Josh Jenkins at the club, they should be working just as hard to keep Brad Crouch. He was brilliant. His clever play in the tight packs, his creativeness and general hard work was outstanding. His bother Matt was good too, and they are developing into one of the best brother combinations.

Collingwood have every right to feel they were not rewarded for their effort, but in these scraps you make your own luck. A key piece fell Adelaide's way seconds before the three-quarter time siren when Eddie Betts took a terrific mark and goaled after the siren. It made the margin 23 points, and in a game where possessions didn't come easy it was always going to be difficult for the Pies to make up four goals.

For all of the misgivings with skills under pressure, Collingwood also had some very good players, especially Adam Treloar midfield, and Scott Pendlebury who rotated from half-forward. The battle in ruck between Sam Jacobs and Brodie Grundy was a highlight with both winning their share of effective taps and good, solid play around the ground.

Ricky Henderson came into the side for one of Adelaide's best players this season, Rory Laird, and once again he made the most of his limited opportunities. Scott Thompson played yet another quality game –  his 300th.

It summed up the game really; just plugging away and plucking goals from sheer hard work under pressure. Nothing pretty, but a willing and overall entertaining battle.

The loss virtually ends Collingwood's finals hopes, as faint as they have been for some time, but the effort and the tenacity by some of its younger brigade, especially Taylor Adams and Jack Crisp, was a positive indication that the Pies will be rewarded for their hard work in due course.