“WE need to learn to step up.”

Brendon Bolton and his players lamented Carlton’s finish to the game where a potential result against Port Adelaide slipped away.

After hitting the front late in the third quarter, the Blues were overrun for the second straight week on the way to a 16-point defeat.

Speaking to media post-match, Bolton was matter-of-fact about the feeling from his players in the rooms after the game.

“Filthy. Want the quarter back. Can’t get out back. Have to wait until next week,” Bolton said.

Despite the Blues demonstrating their fight in the third term, the senior coach was more focused on what happened in the final half hour.

He said the crucial phase in Carlton’s development was stepping up and learning how to rise to the occasion when it counted most.

“For two weeks in a row against quality sides, we were right in the game at three quarter time,” he said.

“Game on, three quarter time — step up.”

After five goals in the opening term, Carlton had to respond to the loss of Charlie Curnow and unavailability of Marc Murphy as Port made its run in the second quarter.

While saying there were positives in the opening stages as well as the fightback, Bolton said he was “more interested in the last quarter”.

“The game ebbed and flowed, there’s going to be positives,” he said.

“We’ve been right in it — we know we’re good enough. We need to do the basics for longer.

“It’s not anything catastrophic, it’s something we can fix. Being in the situation is good but the next step is getting the result.”