The inaccuracy that has plagued Collingwood this season returned on Sunday afternoon, but a spirited Brisbane Lions team was unable to advantage as the Magpies won a scrappy clash by 45 points at the MCG.

For the first six rounds of the season the Magpies kicked more behinds than goals, and they relapsed in a calamitous third quarter that gave the Lions a sniff in a match they had never looked like winning.

Just 10 points separated the teams deep in the third quarter, but the Magpies were too strong and experienced, settling in the final term to kick seven of the last 10 goals and win 18.21 (129) to 13.6 (84).

As poor as the Magpies' goalkicking was, their midfield was dominant and Nathan Buckley can thank Scott Pendlebury and co. for delivering back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The important win keeps Collingwood in touch with the mid-table logjam, taking their record to 4-6 in an up-and-down campaign that seems to only ever be one big loss away from crisis.

Pendlebury was outstanding for the Magpies, working in tight spaces and using the ball with typical care to finish with 31 possessions, seven clearances and nine inside 50s.   

He had plenty of sidekicks in a dominant midfield, with Adam Treloar (30 and seven clearances) and Taylor Adams (33 and five) enjoying big afternoons, while Steele Sidebottom worked off the back of the square at times to win a game-high 34 disposals.     

Those four Magpies combined for 77 possessions in a brilliant first half, setting up a 25-point lead that only looked like growing as the young Lions tired.

But their efforts were not rewarded by the team's wayward forwards in the third quarter as the Magpies booted 2.6, with Darcy Moore, Jamie Elliott and Tim Broomhead missing particularly gettable shots.

As if to ram home the Magpies' failings in front of goal, the Lions took their chances, with Rhys Mathieson and the brilliant Dayne Beams converting 50m set shots and Jake Barrett snapping accurately from the boundary.

Beams was a star against his former club, finishing with 28 possessions six clearances and three goals, appearing hurt at times but pushing on to be his team's standout player. 

He was well supported by Dayne Zorko (28, 10 clearances and two goals), while Marco Paparone was very effective in a defensive forward role on Magpies' defender Jeremy Howe. 

COLLINGWOOD          5.5       9.10     11.16   18.21 (129)
BRISBANE LIONS        4.3       6.3       10.6     13.6 (84)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 4, Moore 3, Fasolo 2, Wells 2, Treloar, Sidebottom, Smith, Maynard, Dunn, Broomhead, Adams
Brisbane Lions: Beams 3, Zorko 2, Cutler, Smith, Hammelmann, Rich, Barrett, Berry, Mathieson, Hipwood

BEST 
Collingwood: Pendlebury ,Treloar, Sidebottom, Adams, Elliott, Grundy
Brisbane Lions: Beams, Zorko, Barrett, Paparone, Mayes

INJURIES 
Collingwood: Moore (right shin)
Brisbane Lions: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: O'Gorman, Stephens, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 32,750 at the MCG