EVEN Phil Walsh's best plans are pointless when his players can't kick goals.

Adelaide won most of the key statistics against Port Adelaide on Sunday night, beating the Power in clearances, contested possessions, tackles and inside 50s. But the Crows lacked class at key moments that would have helped ignite the crowd and create a wave of momentum to surf home.

Every time they threatened, they were unable to kick the goals required to kick start an attacking surge and the Power's class kept rising to the occasion.

Eddie Betts did his best to spark his teammates with a spectacular goal early in the third quarter when he span through three opponents and snapped truly.

Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins followed suit, but just as it appeared as though the Crows might hit the lead, an indecisive Charlie Cameron ran too far into an open goal and then Taylor Walker missed a gettable opportunity.

Finishing the game with 71 inside 50s to 42, Adelaide had plenty of chances to hit the scoreboard but couldn't.

“We’re our own worst enemy, unfortunately. In saying that, they (Port) are a very good team,” Walsh said after the match.

“Our efficiency inside 50m did hurt us. Their method going forward compared to our method going forward – it’s simplistic to say that’s the whole game, but that was a major contributor to the scoreboard at the end.

"We had the ball down our end enough to do some damage on the scoreboard but we weren't able to do that. I would have liked to have thought in that second quarter and into the third quarter, if we'd actually kicked a couple of goals and got in front I think the stadium was ready to erupt for us.

“We would’ve all got into the game. Our fans were just waiting for something like that to happen. Eddie kicked a couple of good goals and so did ‘Thommo’ but we probably couldn’t get them (our fans) involved enough.”

Walsh was pleased his side was able to finally win ground ball differential and tackles.

But with Patrick Dangerfield the only Crow to gather more than 30 disposals to Port's three (Robbie Gray, Travis Boak and Brad Ebert) he said he needed more from his midfield.

Scott Thompson lifted in the final term with two incredible goals, but Rory Sloane was well held by Kane Cornes in his record-equalling 27th Showdown, until he was subbed out with a corked calf.

No other midfielder registered more than 20 possessions.

"Gray, Ebert, Boak 30, Dangerfield 36 – weight of numbers is going to catch you out," Walsh said.

"We needed someone else to step up tonight in the midfield and have a really strong game.

"It was unfortunate that Sloane got a bit of a bump to his calf so we had to sub him out."