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Adelaide have held off a fast-finishing Port Adelaide for a 20-point win which lifts them into the AFL's top four.

Adelaide attacker Tom Lynch has slotted three goals in a 20-point win against arch foe Port Adelaide which lifts the Crows into the AFL's top four.

The Crows held off a fast-finishing Port to triumph 13.10 (88) to 9.14 (68) on a slippery Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.

Adelaide led at every change despite losing prime mover Matt Crouch to a hip injury.

But from 44 points early in the last quarter, the Crows were given an almighty scare as Port booted five unanswered goals to sneak within 12 points and threaten to steal victory.

"(Showdowns) are always one of those games where it's never over until it's over," Adelaide coach Don Pyke said.

"We got it in neutral towards the end, we got to 40-odd points up an to Port's credit they kept coming but we found a way in the end."

While Lynch put on Adelaide's attacking polish, the Crows' fourth consecutive victory was built by a supreme defence marshalled by backmen Daniel Talia and Rory Laird (31 disposals).

Fellow defender Alex Keath (26 possessions) was also instrumental in suffocating Port's forwards who managed just three goals from 50 inside 50s until three quarter-time - they kicked six majors from 19 entries in the last term.

Crows onballers Brad Crouch (30 touches), Rory Sloane (26 disposals, 13 tackles) and Cam Ellis-Yolmen (24 possessions) provided the grunt work around the packs.

Port, who lost halfback Ryan Burton in the first term to a hamstring injury, were well served by Tom Rockliff, who collected a game-high 41 disposals, Travis Boak (28 possessions) and Sam Powell-Pepper (two goals).

But they paid a heavy price for early sluggishness - they were goal-less in the opening quarter and trailed by 11 points at quarter-time.

Adelaide outscored the Power four goals to two in the second stanza, with Lynch booting two - the first from a fortunate holding-the-man free, the second from a clever snap from a tight angle.

The Crows took a 21-point advantage into halftime and booted with four goals to one in the third term.

And when Lynch scored his third goal inside 60 seconds of the final term, the Crows had a 44-point break.

Port then rallied with five goals in an unheralded 16-minute scoring spree to sneak within 12 points.

But Adelaide's Lynch then sealed the deal with a shrewd pass to his co-captain Taylor Walker (two majors), who goaled to end Port's challenge.

"It was a really tough game to play in from the conditions point of view, it was definitely a territory battle," Power coach Ken Hinkley said.

"We had plenty of opportunities to put scoreboard pressure on but just couldn't."