ADELAIDE has suffered its first loss of the season, going down to a gutsy St Kilda by 32 points 15.11 (101) to 10.9 (69) in front of 41,189 fans at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.

The Crows trailled by 21 points in the third quarter but fought back to draw within a point early in the final term.

Kurt Tippett and Jason Porplyzia kicked three goals apiece and did their best to get the home side over the line, but Saints’ big man Justin Koschitzke proved the difference with a match winning four-goal haul.

Adelaide’s night was further soured by another injury setback to inspirational forward Trent Hentschel.

The first quarter unfolded as a tactical arm-wrestle as both sides attempted to assert their style of play on the game.

The Crows opted for the well-publicised18-man zone defence but it was St Kilda’s man-on-man strategy that proved more successful.

The Saints denied Adelaide the space to run and carry with some fierce defensive pressure and exposed the home side’s lack of height in defence.

The Crows, who lost in-form swingman Scott Stevens to a hamstring injury during the week, struggled to contain the St Kilda talls.

Koschitzke carried on his good touch from last week with two first-quarter goals opposed to All-Australian full back Ben Rutten.

Saints’ Skipper Nick Riewoldt chipped in with another and when Steven King marked and scored from close quarters, the visitors skipped out to a handy lead.

Hentschel helped drag his side back into the contest when he marked strongly on the goal line and played on to score his first AFL goal in 949 days.

Adelaide went into the first break 12 points down, but emerged with a greater sense of purpose and kicked three unanswered goals to open the second term.

Graham Johncock, in his first game for 2009, set the standard with a saving tackle in the goal square to prevent a certain Adam Schneider goal.

Promising big man Tippett capitalised at the other end with consecutive majors.

Patrick Dangerfield showed poise with a handful of classy possessions and Scott Thompson, Nathan van Berlo and Andy Otten got involved.

Ivan Maric, determined to match Koschitzke’s influence at the other end, took a slips catch 15m out from goal and his clever snap gave Adelaide the lead.

But St Kilda, through Nick Dal Santo, Jason Gram, Leigh Montagna and a lop-sided free-kick-count (30-11) fought back. Montagna used his 17th possession to goal and restore the Saints’ lead and another to Farren Ray stretched the lead to 10 points.

Hentschel failed to emerge from the half-time break with a quad injury and the Saints appeared to blow the low-scoring game wide open with three quick goals to Jarryn Geary, Michael Gardiner and Schneider.

Bernie Vince and Taylor Walker tried to keep the Crows in touch with important goals, but Porplyzia was to be the biggest threat.

The proven match winner kicked consecutive majors to cut the margin back to seven.

Walker, who overlooked an unmanned Porplyzia ahead of him, had a chance to level the scores but rammed the ball into the woodwork and St Kilda maintained its narrow, six-point lead at the final change.

Adelaide got within a point when Tippett was rewarded for his diving tackle on Zac Dawson 10m out from goal, but yet again the Saints responded.

Schneider made the most of a loose ball inside50m with his first goal and two more from Koschitzke sealed the result.
The Crows will now head to Subiaco to take on Fremantle next Sunday afternoon.

Adelaide 2.2  5.3  9.8  10.9 (69)
St Kilda  4.2  6.7  10.7 15.11 (101)

GOALS
Adelaide: Porplyzia 3, Tippett 3, Hentschel, Maric, Vince, Walker
St Kilda: Koschitzke 4, Schneider 2, Riewoldt 2, King, Ray, Montagna, Geary, Milne, Gardiner, Goddard

BEST
Adelaide: Porplyzia, Thompson, Johncock, Tippett, Edwards, Bock, Maric
St Kilda: Koschitzke, Montagna, Fisher, Dal Santo, Baker, Gram, Schneider  

INJURIES
Adelaide: Hentschel (quad)
St Kilda: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Wenn, Ryan

Official crowd: 41,189 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.