A career-best haul of five goals from Jack Billings has helped St Kilda edge Carlton by 19 points, consolidating their place in the AFL's top eight.
The Saints led for most of Saturday afternoon but only kicked clear of the young and dogged Blues in the fourth term, winning 12.13 (85) to 10.6 (66).
St Kilda were powered by Seb Ross and their four Jacks - Steven, Newnes, Steele and Billings - who all tallied huge disposal counts.
The determination of Carlton - led by Marc Murphy and Patrick Cripps - made the game a genuine contest.
The Blues hit the lead early in the fourth quarter when Cripps took a towering mark and kicked truly.
A Carlton win would have been somewhat unjust - the Blues had 22 fewer inside 50s and 69 fewer possessions - but loomed large for Alan Richardson's side.
Thankfully, for the fourth-year coach, the Saints regained the lead with Ross' long bomb from 55 metres, and made the game safe with set shots from Josh Bruce and Jack Steele.
Richardson said he was delighted to see his side emerge victorious from the arm-wrestle he expected.
"They've been able to strangle teams. We spoke about that - that this wasn't going to be a pretty game," he said.
"We'd been able to get the game on our terms for the last couple of weeks. We didn't today. To find a way late was really positive."
In his 50th match, Billings' five majors were a key difference.
He began his tally during a withering 10-minute St Kilda first-term spell.
The Saints were clean at stoppages, gun running the ball through the middle and offering a strong presence in attack.
Brendon Bolton's side stayed in touch with four set-shot goals from just six inside-50 entries for the quarter.
And they stole the lead midway through the second term, when Murphy managed back-to-back goals either side of a long period of attrition.
Billings' fourth goal of the first half restored the Saints' lead.
They opened up a 24-point lead when Billings kicked his fifth but again the Blues came back.
Three time-on goals in the third quarter brought Carlton back to within five points at the last break.
Murphy sparked a near all-in melee when he remonstrated with Jake Carlisle lying on the ground, with Jarryn Geary racing in to support the big man and his team following.
In that spirit, the Saints marched on to their fifth win of the season, consigning Carlton to their fifth loss.
Bolton lamented his side's inability to maximise their moments while seeing "quite a bit" of development in his young side.
"There were some significant momentum swings in that game and that's the nature of AFL footy. You need to try to keep winning the arm wrestle when it's your turn," he said.
"That's all a work in progress."
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