CARLTON keeps rolling.

The Blues have produced a scintillating come-from-behind victory, overcoming conceding the first four goals of the game to prevail by 19 points against Melbourne.

In the first weekend of wildcard finals, Carlton ensured the crowd of 91,733 - largely wearing Navy Blue - went home happy in the 10.14 (74) to 7.13 (55).

Carlton didn’t concede a goal after the five-minute mark of the third quarter, overturning a 21-point deficit in the first term to keep their season alive.

The contested side of the game stacked up early for the Blues, winning the tackle count 16-9 inside the opening term with five of those coming inside 50.

However, the polish in offence that Blues fans have come accustomed to in recent weeks was lacking, with Carlton unable to capitalise on its own chances going forwards while Melbourne punished errors at the other end.

After the Dees kicked the opening four goals of the game, a smother from Patrick Cripps and chase-down tackle from Francis Evans led to the Blues hitting the scoreboard in a meaningful way for the first time through Harry McKay.

That proved to be Carlton’s sole major for the opening term, registering just 1.3 from five shots on goal and lamenting key skill errors as they trailed by 18 points at the first change.

The Blues were in need of their prime movers to get them going in the second term, and that’s exactly what they did. Sam Walsh led the way with 10 second-quarter disposals as Carlton surged back into the contest.

Ben Ainsworth continued to look dangerous as McKay found him close to goal, before a huge contested mark and snap from Patrick Cripps - in a throwback to his Round 12 heroics against Geelong - brought the Blues right back into the contest.

In their first ever finals, Harry Dean and Jagga Smith were excellent. Smith had five clearances to go with his 15 disposals in the first half, while Dean had seven intercepts in another showing that was far beyond a first-year key defender.

The Blues’ desperation was demonstrated when Lachie Cowan brought down Bayley Fritsch on centre wing, and after Ollie Hollands and Brodie Kemp converted set shots in quick succession, the Blues were suddenly in the lead for the first time. However, a clearance goal immediately from the restart saw Tom McDonald convert on the half-time siren, seeing the Blues trail by a solitary behind at the main break.

When the two teams returned for the third term, it was a much more open first five minutes, with Melbourne kicking two goals either side of McKay’s second major.

Adam Cerra continued to mop up across half-back while Blake Acres had some typically strong defensive moments working back from the wing, as the Blues managed to hold up after an early Melbourne flurry.

The Dees had more of the territory in the third term but the Blues looked dangerous on counter attack, and it was Ainsworth - playing in just his third final, and first for the Blues - who was the man for the moment.

Kicking two consecutive goals to finish the quarter, including one on the run which brought the Carlton-heavy crowd to its feet, the Blues found themselves four points ahead at the final change.

A brilliant team passage of play to start the term ended in the lap of Smith, who slammed one home from the square to give the Blues a two-goal ascendancy for the first time.

There was no shortage of nervy moments from both sides, with the Blues leaving some goals on the table while a Cooper Lord snap was ruled out for a free kick in the build-up.

But the Blues defended brilliantly, with Jacob Weitering (10 intercepts) and Nick Haynes - who twice left the field with injury concerns - producing some clutch moments to ensure the Blues didn’t concede.

The ball lived in Carlton’s forward for long periods, but when Matthew Cottrell hit the post for the third individual time for the night - and Carlton’s fifth in total - the Dees were still in touch.

That was until who else but Smith bobbed up again, kicking his second final-quarter goal with his 29th disposal to ensure a famous Carlton victory.

Sam Walsh was simply brilliant, recapturing his finals football form to amass 39 disposals, 17 contested possessions and eight score involvements.

Carlton will return to the MCG next Friday night to take on Geelong in an elimination final.

MELBOURNE     4.3     5.6     7.10     7.13 (55)

CARLTON            1.3     5.5     8.8      10.14 (74)

GOALS

Carlton: Ainsworth 3, McKay 2, Smith 2, Cripps, Hollands, Kemp