St Kilda surged and created chance after chance for their forwards in that third quarter.

And after three behinds to round out the term, Cooper Sharman kicked a goal to close out the quarter and get Saints fans on their feet.

Sharman juggled the mark, while he had three Collingwood players coming at him from all angles, and then finished off the set shot 25 metres out.

It gives the Saints a good 20-point buffer at three-quarter time.

They kicked five goals to one in that third term.

Max King celebrates a goal.

Max King celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty

After St Kilda kicked four goals in 12 minutes to start the second half, Collingwood have finally responded 17 minutes in, off the boot of Jamie Elliott.

It cuts the Saints’ margin lead down to 11-points.

Rowan Marshall went send off due to the blood rule, meaning Mitch Owens had the ruck match-up with Mason Cox. So, a bit of a height difference there.

Given this, it was impressive the Saints cleared the ball almost out of their defensive half following a stoppage deep in the Pies’ inside 50, before it found its way into the hands of Elliott.

St Kilda lead by 11.

St Kilda v Collingwood.

St Kilda v Collingwood.Credit: Getty

And another!

Jack Higgins has kicked his third goal of the evening after scooping up the ball deep in the forward 50 after it spilled from a contest.

The Saints are surging to start this third quarter. And the Magpies look taken off guard.

St Kilda by 10.

This from AFL senior reporter Michael Gleeson:

Bizarre from Sidebottom spoiled the ball towards St Kilda’s goal and straight to Jack Higgins.

Second time for the game a Collingwood defensive spoil has gone to Higgins clear goal side. Sums up how ragged Collingwood’s defence is.

Tim Membrey celebrates a goal.

Tim Membrey celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty

Annnd just like that, we have another lead change.

The Saints are back in front after back-to-back goals, first from Max King, then from Tim Membrey.

They have started this second half composed, connected and with beautiful finishing touches.

St Kilda lead by 4.

Mitch Owens.

Mitch Owens. Credit: Getty

The Saints have the opening goal of the second half, within the opening 90 seconds. And who else? The big Max King.

He booted it from just outside 50 after taking a grab right on the arc.

Collingwood hold on to their slim lead.

Magpies lead by 2.

This was not so much Collingwood fighting back into the game as St Kilda asking them to come back into the game.

The Saints ball use which had been so clear-eyed in the first term became sloppy. The connection with the forwards was awry and Collingwood sweated on it.

The Magpies key players who had not done much in the first term – Josh Daicos, Scott Pendlebury – began to have more impact in the second term.

Jack Higgins had exploited his match up on Jeremy Howe, knowing the defender would fly for everything he chose to do the opposite and hunt for ground balls and he was tremendously effective.

St Kilda v Collingwood.

St Kilda v Collingwood. Credit: Getty

Collingwood had begun with the sort of energy and drive you would expect of a side that has been in the headlights of scrutiny all week. Yet, St Kilda absorbed it and appeared for a quarter and a half as the side that figured they had more depth in their game than energy.

They were calm and absorbed Collingwood’s anger. The iffy decisions were going their way and despite not winning hit outs the ball was falling their way and clearances were with them, partly through the clever industry of Marcus Windhager around the pack and Wanganeen-Milera’s driving run from behind.

Darcy Moore is having a patchy night. The subject of criticism during the week he is playing with energy and endeavour and has intercept marked but he has also been a culprit for costly Collingwood turnovers for goals.

Reef McInnes offered Collingwood a bit of bite they have been lacking forward because he threatened at ground level and in the air. He found his goals from dirty balls.

St Kilda v Collingwood.

St Kilda v Collingwood.Credit: Getty

Collingwood finished the first half with three back-to-back goals to take a slim eight points into the main break.

It’s been a fast-paced, high-pressure game. While this has been exciting in some areas, it’s also led to a lot of fumbles and mistakes from both sides.

As fan Heather Lacey commented online, it’s been a “comedy of errors at the G tonight”.

Both sides have been hard at the ball, with the Saints having 71 contested possessions to the Magpies’ 69, and in controlling it around the park, with 127 uncontested possessions to 128.

However, where the big difference lies is the first touch. In that half, Collingwood had a mammoth 21 hit-outs to 2 so got a lot of the first use of the ball, yet lost the clearances 16-12.

Collingwood lead by eight points at the main break

Mitch Owens.

Mitch Owens. Credit: Getty Images

Saints are now the ones starting to lose composure.

Zaine Cordy had a couple of bad turnovers coming out of defence. Riley Bonner floated a ball kicking forward and it just hung there for Collingwood to intercept.

Goes to the other end, transition footy and Collingwood kick their third in six minutes.

Marcus Windhager.

Marcus Windhager.Credit: Getty

After a fast-firing few minutes from the Saints, Collingwood have now taken back the lead, thanks to the last goal from Patrick Lipinski.

It followed a major from Reef McInnes.

Both sides look, to put it frankly, spent. My bet is they are holding out for the half-time siren.

There have been a series of mistakes from both sides, but that’s in part come from the mammoth amount of pressure each is applying to the other.

Pies by 1.

Reef McInnes of the Magpies.

Reef McInnes of the Magpies.Credit: Getty

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