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A last-minute Blake Acres goal propelled Carlton into a preliminary final after a pulsating semi-final with a Melbourne team that has suffered consecutive straight-sets September exits.<\/p>\n
Matthew Kennedy \u2013 playing only after Harry McKay (concussion) and Jack Martin (suspension) were forced outs \u2013 dribbled through a late behind to seal a two-point victory that triggered an eruption from the Blues faithful when the siren sounded seconds later.<\/p>\n
The match-winning play unfolded when Sam Docherty marked about 75 metres out, then took off instantly as young Demon Judd McVee fell to ground, before driving a kick deep into attack for Acres to gobble up and blast through.<\/p>\n
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The critical moment: Blake Acres boots the winning goal.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Channel Seven<\/cite><\/p>\n It was another huge moment for ex-Docker and Saint Acres after he touched two crucial Sydney shots in last week\u2019s slender win, on top of slotting the goal that gave them enough breathing room to grimly hang on.<\/p>\n Michael Voss\u2019 men, who have won 11 of their past 12 matches to climb out of the bottom four and into the final four, again had the lion\u2019s share of support from the 96,412 fans who packed into the MCG.<\/p>\n They were last in a preliminary final in 2000, and are headed to the Gabba to take on the Brisbane Lions, the club at which their coach became a triple-premiership captain and legend.<\/p>\n \u201cThe atmosphere in the change rooms was quite incredible, and to see the journey that we\u2019ve been on, to get to this point in time [is amazing],\u201d Voss said, while praising his side\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see the smiles on people\u2019s faces and just how excited everyone is, and I think we\u2019re all in a little bit of disbelief how it all unfolded.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was just a cracking game of footy \u2013 full of errors, full of mistakes, but somehow we found a way through some will, some grit and some courage and were able to hit the scoreboard at the end. I guess that\u2019s what matters \u2013 being in front at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n Sam Walsh was best on the ground with 34 disposals, two goals and eight tackles in another outstanding display, but it was Jesse Motlop\u2019s second goal with barely six minutes to go that stirred Carlton into action as they erased a nine-point deficit to score a famous triumph.<\/p>\n Patrick Cripps attempts to fend off Jack Viney.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AFL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n The Blues had plenty of good contributors, from Jacob Weitering (10 intercept possessions) to Nic Newman (30 disposals) and captain Patrick Cripps, who was physical from the outset and finished with 27 touches and 16 contested possessions.<\/p>\n The Demons will rue their wastefulness throughout the final term, including misses from captain Max Gawn \u2013 whose check side shot smashed into the post \u2013 Bayley Fritsch and Jack Viney that could have put them more than two goals clear.<\/p>\n They finished with a 9.17 scoreline and eight more scoring shots than Carlton, a week after failing to capitalise on 19 inside 50s in the fourth quarter against minor premiers Collingwood in a seven-point defeat.<\/p>\n Melbourne looked the winners for most of the second half once they hit the front, with Simon Goodwin\u2019s inspired move to make Kysaiah Pickett his deepest forward rescuing his previously nightmare night and unlocking his impotent forward line.<\/p>\n Pickett could hardly have been worse in the first two quarters, giving away a free kick with a jumper punch that prevented a Joel Smith set shot, then delivering a bump on Cripps that will be closely scrutinised by the MRO.<\/p>\n He booted two second-half goals and set up two others \u2013 for Smith and then Fritsch \u2013 while Steven May shut down Charlie Curnow and took six intercept marks as he repeatedly repelled the Blues in the last term.<\/p>\n Melbourne\u2019s early 19-point lead was the biggest margin of the night, but Carlton largely dominated the rest of the first half, including a five-goal burst that threatened to end the Dees\u2019 resistance.<\/p>\n Tom De Koning swung the match in the Blues\u2019 favour with two goals in almost as many minutes late in the opening quarter \u2013 one from a mark, and the second from a free kick \u2013 in a perfect answer to a Christian Petracca special at the other end.<\/p>\n De Koning spelled Marc Pittonet, who did an effective job blunting Gawn\u2019s influence, in the ruck and took a great first-half pack grab as he demonstrated why so many rival clubs tried to prise him from Ikon Park.<\/p>\n The surprise packet in the Demons\u2019 uninspiring forward line before Pickett\u2019s heroics was Smith, whose three goals masked more problems in Goodwin\u2019s forward half. Melbourne\u2019s ball use was again substandard at times as they resorted to bombing the ball in for long periods, and Tom McDonald failed to make an impact aerially.<\/p>\n Jack Viney has been one of the Demons\u2019 best players all season and was their top ball-winner again with 31, to go with 15 contested possessions and seven clearances, while Clayton Oliver and Petracca did all they could.<\/p>\n Goodwin said there was \u201can emptiness\u201d in the Melbourne group after the heartbreaking result, and they would have to absorb some adversity in the days and weeks ahead, but he remained positive in defeat.<\/p>\n \u201cI think once we get through our review; there will still be a lot of optimism about what\u2019s possible moving forward. There\u2019s no question about that,\u201d Goodwin said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe speak about winning more moments, as a club, and in both these finals, we\u2019ve won enough moments, but we haven\u2019t won the most important one \u2013 and that\u2019s on the scoreboard, so we need to execute that better.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think when we sit down and review the year, and we go, \u2018How did we go?\u2019; we\u2019ve ended up giving ourselves a double chance, finished top four, and we\u2019ve lost two finals by less than a kick.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n