GOLD Coast has missed another chance to log a crucial away win, going down 7.9 (51) to 7.6 (48) to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
The SUNS have a perfect record at home in 2024, but are yet to register a win on the road and will head to their mid-season bye outside the top eight as Damien Hardwick strives to take the club to its first ever finals series.
The Saints took the ascendency early although they failed to make the most of their dominance on the scoreboard, having a 25-17 inside 50 balance at half-time but sitting just 14 points in front.
Momentum then turned as the SUNS took control for most of the third quarter, but in a mirror image of the first half, they failed to reap the rewards from their time in control, moving just one goal closer at the final break.
The contest continued to be an arm wrestle through the fourth quarter with Gold Coast cranking up the pressure early, kicking the first two goals of the term to take the lead before an off-the-ball free to Max King put the home team back in front.
The ball spent the last couple of minutes in the SUNS' forward half but they couldn't get through a desperate Saints defence, falling short yet again of an all-important road win.
ST KILDA 3.1 4.5 6.7 7.9 (51)
GOLD COAST 1.1 2.3 5.5 7.6 (48)
GOALS
St Kilda: Butler 3, Higgins 2, King 2
Gold Coast: King 2, Rowell, Ainsworth, Long, Swallow, Miller
BEST
St Kilda: Battle, Sinclair, Marshall, Wanganeen-Milera,
Gold Coast: Collins, Flanders, Long, Jeffrey, Uwland
INJURIES
St Kilda: Dougal Howard (hamstring)
Gold Coast: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Seb Ross, replaced Dougal Howard in the first quarter
Gold Coast: David Swallow, replaced Brayden Fiorini in the third quarter
Crowd: 17,992 at Marvel Stadium
