Adelaide responded to slow starts in the opening three rounds with a record first-quarter score against Essendon.

The Crows conceded the opening three goals in their Showdown win a fortnight ago, and trailed at quarter time of the Club’s Round One and Two matches against Greater Western Sydney and Hawthorn.

On Saturday night, the home team rectified the issue in emphatic fashion, piling on 9.2 (56) to lead by 36 points at the first break.

It was Adelaide’s best-ever opening quarter against the Bombers, and equal-second biggest score ever in a first quarter behind 58 points (9.4) in the opening term against Gold Coast in Round 22, 2011.

Captain Taylor Walker (four) and the dangerous Eddie Betts (two) combined for six first-quarter goals.

Defender Jake Lever said the Crows had addressed their early lapses ahead of the Round Four game.

“It was probably something we identified last week, that our starts hadn’t been to the standard that we’d been playing at (for the rest of the game),” Lever said post-match.

“We made it a focus tonight. To be honest, it was nice to be sitting in the backline in that first quarter because Eddie and ‘Tex’ were doing their thing.”

Adelaide extended its lead to 52 points at half time before Essendon fought back in the third.

The Crows regained control in the last quarter and kicked away to a comfortable 65-point win.

“In the third quarter … it was probably a bit of a lesson for us (about what happens) if we do go away from the way we want to play,” Lever said.

“But I thought in the last quarter we were able to get the game back on our terms and kick a few more goals.

“The first half, I think, was a blueprint of how we want to play.”

Betts (six), Walker (five), Andy Otten, Tom Lynch, Rory Sloane and Rory Atkins (two each) all kicked multiple goals as the Crows put 29.4 (153) on the scoreboard.

It was Adelaide’s best return so far this season, and second-highest score by any club.

Lever said it was pleasing for his side to kick a big return in the absence of first-choice forwards Josh Jenkins (ribs) and Mitch McGovern (hamstring).

“I think blokes are just sharing the load. Tex and Eddie kicked five and six (goals) and that’s great for them, but the ability of the mids at the moment to kick goals as well is really helping us,” he said.

“Andy Otten played up forward and kicked two goals. ‘Lairdy’ (defender Rory Laird) even kicked a goal … I wouldn’t have minded to get up there a kick a snag, but unfortunately I didn’t!

“It’s just fantastic that we were able to kick 20-plus goals again without two of our best forwards in ‘JJ’ and ‘Gov’.

“With Gov, it looks like it’s going to be a long time without him, unfortunately, so we’re going to have to learn to play without him.

“I thought tonight was a good stepping stone.”

Betts has now kicked 16 goals to share the Coleman Medal lead with Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins.

The two-time All Australian recorded his 200th Crows goal with his first major on Saturday night and is only five away from reaching 500 career goals.

Like most football fans, Lever is in awe of the crafty forward’s ability.

“The snap that he kicked tonight … I don’t think that he meant it, but it’s Eddie Betts so you just sort of go, ‘Oh, I guess he did mean it!’ He’s just a marvel,” Lever said.

“It’s great that everyone sees the goals … but it’s built from the pressure that he puts on in the forward line, which is what we hold in high regard.

“Two hundred goals is a lot of goals in 73 (club) games”

Lever, 21, performed strongly in only his second AFL appearance of the season.

The driven defender collected 13 disposals at 92.3 per cent efficiency, took five marks and had six spoils while not conceding a goal to his direct opponent(s).

Lever, who missed the JLT Community Series because of a hamstring strain, spent the first two rounds of the AFL season playing at SANFL level to regain match fitness.

“I was lucky enough to come back in (to the AFL team) last week and it (the Showdown) was a hot game to come back in,” he said.

“I felt a little bit rusty against Port, but tonight just with my marks, my timing and jumping at the ball was much better. I felt like I played my role.”