IT WAS half-time, Adelaide led by 19 points after two late second-quarter goals, Essendon was two players short through injury, but still there was a sense the Bombers might pull out something extra.

Such are the fears inspired by a record as imposing as the one the Dons held over Adelaide in this town until yesterday: not a single victory in 17 years and 11 attempts — and some unlikely victories among them.

Completely unfounded fears, as it happened. Adelaide had looked cleaner, stronger and simply better during the first half without necessarily translating it into a winning break.

Now it would rectify that little anomaly as well. Six goals in fewer than 17 minutes transformed this game from a contest into a lopsided cakewalk, all reflecting the Crows' dominance at the stoppages, greater composure in the clinches, and more efficient use of the football all over the ground.

Skipper Simon Goodwin started the ball rolling, casually playing on and snapping truly after a diving mark near the boundary line in the forward pocket.

Richard Douglas kicked the second after Tyson Edwards had laid a crunching tackle to dispossess Damien Peverill. Nick Gill slotted one from near the boundary in the other pocket. Ivan Maric took a big grab and converted, Scott Stevens marked and goaled, and when Gill booted another with a beautiful snap after taking the ball mid-air one-handed, it was 55 points, and getting to the embarrassing stage.

Essendon had been hampered by its existing casualties and the further losses of Courtenay Dempsey and Dustin Fletcher early, but their presence wouldn't have made too much difference yesterday.

The Bombers were off, and Adelaide, still with very realistic top-four hopes, was very clearly switched on.

Everywhere, but particularly in midfield, where Scott Thompson was right back to his early season best, racking up 31 touches and doing a power of running. Ditto Nathan van Berlo with 26.

And former Port Adelaide player Brad Symes, who worked hard and deep into defence, leading the way for defensive rebounds. With the grunt of Brent Reilly and Edwards, Adelaide smashed Essendon at the stoppages 49-24.

In attack, the Crows were versatile and always dangerous, led by a great game from Gill. While his kicking is still an object of some derision, his work-rate was superb, stretching Mal Michael then Paddy Ryder continually, and 22 touches, 11 marks and five goals fitting reward.

All Gill's goals came in the second half, the third after a shocking kick off the boot from just on 50 metres bounced this way and that then through.

But if ever an individual game deserved a turn of luck it was his. Not that Essendon could plead too much misfortune. The Bombers did everything possible to shoot themselves in the foot even early on when they were more competitive, in stark contrast to their opponent.

It took Adelaide 10 minutes to score its first goal, but once the Crows got on the board, they looked likely to kick quite a few more in a hurry. Graham Johncock dobbed the first from 50 metres on the run, Stevens the second from a free kick, and Brad Moran another when Symes popped a handball over the top.

While Essendon too often tried to create something out of nothing, handballing to flat-footed teammates and dishing off speculative short passes, Adelaide played within its limitations, efficient and more direct.

The Crows were cashing in on their physical superiority, too, more than doubling the Bombers for clearance wins and well ahead in contested possession.

And the casualty toll for Essendon was starting to kick in. Dempsey had limped off the ground midway through the first term, bandaged and on crutches by the break, not to return. Midway through the second term, Fletcher followed him with a groin injury.

The Dons had rallied with goals to Matthew Lloyd and David Hille, but Adelaide was quick to hit back with a couple of goals from, let's say, perhaps doubtful decisions, Goodwin the first aided by a 50-metre penalty against Henry Slattery for the heinous crime of pointing, then Thompson for a hold by Peverill, the free paid by non-controlling umpire Brett Rosebury.

Two more just before the long break had a similar impact, the last by debutant Patrick Dangerfield after the siren, but more significantly, after a costly attempted short pass from Essendon's Adam McPhee to Andrew Lovett was spoiled, the ball turned over.

McPhee busted a gut for Essendon, but unfortunately had one of those days to which he is sometimes prone, when judgement goes missing and he attempts to bite off more than he can chew.

While Hille gave everything in the ruck, other good performers of recent times for the Dons, like Andrew Welsh, were down also.

Overall, for the Dons, it was performance from a side that knew its finals chances were well and truly shot, and appeared to have one eye already on the end-of-season trip. But that, for Adelaide, is hopefully, some weeks off yet, perhaps more than is popularly believed if the Crows can somehow snag that fourth spot.

ADELAIDE 3.4 7.8 13.10 19.15 (129)
ESSENDON 1.2 4.7 6.10 10.13 (73)

Adelaide: GOALS Gill 5, Goodwin 3, Johncock 2, Douglas 2, Stevens 2, Moran, Thompson, Dangerfield, Maric, McLeod. Essendon: Lloyd 3, Hille 2, Laycock, Ryder, McPhee, Magin, Lovett-Murray.

BEST Adelaide: Thompson, Van Berlo, Gill, Symes, Reilly, Bock. Essendon: Dyson, Nash, Peverill, Stanton, Hille, Slattery.

INJURIES Essendon: Hocking (leg) replaced in selected side by Magin. Fletcher (groin), Dempsey (cracked fibula), Hille (hand), Slattery (groin).

UMPIRES Margetts, Rosebury, Kamolins.

CROWD 32,184 at Telstra Dome.

THE UPSHOT Essendon has little to play for now, already had a truckload of injuries, and probably wishes the end of the season would come sooner than later. Adelaide has a very real chance of grabbing a top-four berth despite its lack of popular acclaim.

TALKING POINTCourtenay Dempsey has had a wretched run with injury in his time at Windy Hill, no more so than this year. Now it's over for him again after a stress fracture to his leg. His frustration must be overwhelming.

HOT AND COLDCrow forward Nick Gill worked his backside off for the Crows, kicked five goals, and but for some dodgy kicking, might have had seven or eight. Adam McPhee wasn't terrible for the Dons, but the man really knows how to make a monumental blunder or two when he's not totally switched on.