Carlton continued Fremantle's misery in close AFL games by pipping the Dockers by nine points in Saturday's round nine clash at Telstra Dome.

The Blues booted three of the four goals in the last quarter and won 14.13 (97) to 14.4 (88) but the Dockers can add this game to the ever-expanding file of games that got away.

The Dockers had been lethally accurate in front of goal to three-quarter time but were left to rue three behinds and two more shots put out on the full in the last quarter, which went a long way towards costing them victory.

The worst of those misses was a sitter to captain Matthew Pavlich, who booted four goals, but will be agonising over hitting the post from 20 metres out directly in front, 19 minutes into the final term with his side two points down.

Carlton's Darren Pfeiffer gathered a loose ball and snapped a goal soon after which effectively sealed the win.

Carlton's win was their first over Fremantle since 2001 and gave them a respectable 4-5 win-loss record to this point of the season.

But Fremantle's latest defeat was another stake through the heart after their past three games resulted in close defeats to the Western Bulldogs (three points), Melbourne (six) and Geelong (one).

The Dockers have now lost their past six games and are 1-8 for the season, but their third-quarter surge looked like snapping the run.

Kepler Bradley, Chris Tarrant and Jeff Farmer have had their share of detractors over the years but all produced inspired goals to help their side claw back in the third term.

Tarrant booted a goal from a tough angle and then took a great mark and added another, Bradley kicked a great goal on the run that put Fremantle in front, and Farmer laid a great tackle on Nick Stevens and threaded the resultant free kick.

But Carlton lifted in the last and fought back from 10 points down to get in front through goals to Andrew Carrazzo and Nick Stevens.

Stevens and Adam Bentick were Carlton's best, along with Brad Fisher (two goals) and Carrazzo, who kept Farmer quiet throughout.

Fremantle's best players included young midfielders Garrick Ibbotson and Rhys Palmer, Luke McPharlin, who beat Brendan Fevola, Pavlich, Tarrant (three goals) and Aaron Sandilands, who dominated the ruck.

Although quiet, Fevola booted one of the goals of the season when he paddled the ball towards the boundary line and then kicked off the ground with sufficient swerve to pierce the unguarded goal.

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