A career-best haul of five goals from Jack Billings has helped St Kilda edge Carlton by 19 points, consolidating their place in the AFL’s top eight.
The Saints led for most of Saturday afternoon but only kicked clear of the young and dogged Blues in the fourth term, winning 12.13 (85) to 10.6 (66).
Powered by in-form midfielders Jack Steven and Seb Ross, St Kilda produced the match’s best football.
The determination of Carlton – led by Marc Murphy and Patrick Cripps – made the game a genuine contest.
The Blues hit the lead early in the fourth quarter when Cripps took a towering mark and kicked truly.
A Carlton win would have been somewhat unjust – the Blues had 22 fewer inside 50s and 68 fewer possessions – but looked on the cards.
From that point, it was all Alan Richardson’s side.
The Saints regained the lead with Ross’s long bomb from 55 metres, before making the game safe with set shots from Josh Bruce and Jack Steele.
In his 50th match, Billings’ five majors were a key difference.
He began his tally during a withering St Kilda first-term spell.
The Saints were clean at stoppages, gun running the ball through the middle and offering a strong presence in attack.
Brendon Bolton’s side stayed in the contest with four set-shot goals from just six inside-50 entries for the quarter.
And they stole the lead midway through the second term, when Murphy managed back-to-back goals either side of a long period of attrition.
In Billings, St Kilda had the match’s dominant forward and his fourth goal of the first half restored the Saints’ lead.
In the third term, the Saints opened up a 24-point lead when Billings kicked his fifth but again the Blues came.
Three time-on goals brought Carlton back to within five points at the last break.
Murphy sparked a near all-in melee when he remonstrated with Jake Carlisle lying on the ground, with Jarryn Geary racing in to support the big man and his team following.
It was in that spirit that the Saints marched on to their fifth win of the season, consigning Carlton to their fifth loss.