CARLTON has produced a gritty performance to come away with a 13-point win at Marvel Stadium.

Leading at every change, the Blues won every quarter - albeit by a narrow margin - as they needed to come from behind in each term to come away with the win.

When all was said and done, it was a Carlton victory under the roof, prevailing 16.14 (110) to 15.7 (97).

Patrick Cripps led brilliantly with 15 clearances, while Talor Byrne had what was well and truly a breakout game with 12 score involvements and three goals.

The Blues opened the game on the back foot, conceding the first three goals of the game as the Suns dictated the start of the contest.

Overcoming its early funk, Carlton was in need of a fire starter, and it came in the form of Byrne.

The first-year Blue used his physicality and pace to worry the Gold Coast defence, assisting a Will Hayward goal and kicking one of his own to see the Blues wrestle their way into the game.

Carlton’s clearance game started to get going, seeing the Blues dominate forward territory in the second half of the term as a Francis Evans goal gave the Blues the lead at the first change.

Nick Haynes had some crucial efforts on the last line to repel Gold Coast early, with a holding-the-ball tackle on Jed Walter lifting a vocal Carlton crowd at Marvel Stadium.

The Blues had to deal with an early blow, with milestone man Nic Newman injuring his hamstring and playing no further part in the game after the opening five minutes.

The first quarter was an indication of how the rest of the game was to play out, with both sides trading momentum and while they never really got their most polished game going, it was a game defined by fiery pressure.

While turnovers crept into Carlton’s game, the team’s willingness to get after the opposition allowed them to make up for their errors and respond whenever it looked like the Suns were getting on top.

Returning to the senior line-up, Lewis Young produced a brilliant quarter across all three lines, producing some telling defensive moments, pinch-hitting in the ruck and converting a set shot.

Byrne continued his brilliant showing while Jagga Smith got more and more involved, with a passage of play where he ran off half-back and then ultimately assisted Will Hayward coincided with a run of four straight goals.

Just as they did at the start of each term, the Suns started strongly to open up a lead, which saw Francis Evans inspire his team with a chasedown tackle to send the Blues on their way.

Byrne made it a career-high three goals (ending with a game-high 12 score involvements) while George Hewett continued his good goalkicking form with a left-footed snap.

Carlton’s three-quarter-time lead of 12 points should’ve been greater after some missed chances late in the term, and it was wiped out almost immediately when the Suns kicked the first three to hit the front once more.

Former Sun Ben Ainsworth produced a telling moment to level the scores on the back of an overhead mark, while Harry Dean sent the Carlton crowd into raptures with a telling spoil when the game was at its hottest.

The Blues once more started to surge, with every Patrick Cripps (seven centre clearances) and Jagga Smith (six) breakaway from the middle matched by the resplendent Carlton roar.

Carlton’s leaders stood up from there in the forward half, with Hewett (career-high three goals), McGovern - benefiting from some outstanding work from Brodie Kemp - and Hayward all kicking truly to seal a ninth win of the season.

The Blues return to Marvel Stadium next Saturday night to take on the Brisbane Lions.

CARLTON            3.4     7.7     11.10      16.14 (110)
GOLD COAST     3.2     7.4     10.4       15.7 (97)

GOALS
Carlton: Byrne 3, Hayward 3, Hewett 3, Evans 2, McGovern 2, Ainsworth, Cripps, Young