Port 40 def. Wests 16

Wests opened with what looked like a try in the first minute of play when fullback Adam Reeves, deputising for Brendan Reeves, planted the ball in the corner before taking the corner post. However, the touch judge in good position ruled that Reeves had put his foot into play prior to scoring.

Port kicked on the fifth tackle, Reeves making a mess of the easy pick up in the seventh minute of play. From the scrum win, Port worked the ball left, Craig Simon slicing through the backline on the end of a deft Mark Simon pass. Craig Simon, in his return to footy, got a final inside ball to Glenn McPhee who crossed untouched for the first of eight first half tries to The Blacks. Mark Simon converted for a 6-0 lead, bringing up his 300th point for Port in the process.

It took only another four minutes for Port to score again. With play set left, Johno Johnson confused everyone by heading blind, throwing a cut-out ball to winger Juita Suka who crossed in the corner for a ten point lead to Port. Four minutes later and Mark Simon scored a trademark scrum base try, shrugging off a Wests defender and sprinting forty metres to score his seventeenth try of the season. He converted his own try and Port led 16-0 after just 15 minutes.

Two minutes elapsed when Mark Simon continued his masterful display, throwing a perfect ball to brother Craig who ran thirty metres before passing insode to lock Grant Roberts who crossed near the posts giving Mark Simon an easy kick to register his tenth point of the match and establish Port's lead at 22-0.

Port were scoring at better than a point a minute and threatened to go in again when Nick Nikitaras went on a bullocking run down field. Nikitaras couldn't get over the line, but Johnson scampered out from dummy half, diving under the defence to score. Simon kicked true and Port led 28-0 after 21 minutes.

Nick Nikitaras turned ball player and threw what seemed a great ball to a flying Craig Simon. Fortunately for Wests, Simon couldn't handle it and Wests regained possession. It didn't last for long though as Wests turned the ball back over to Port. On the fourth tackle, Jason Sullivan kicked virtually across field for winger Juita Suka to easily grab the ball and score out wide. Mark Simon was having trouble with the wide conversions into the wind, but Port led The Devils by 32-0.

With eleven to go before half time, Mark Simon put up a towering mid field bomb which wasn't handled by the Wests defence. Port regained the ball and two tackles later, Juita Suka registered his third try of the afternoon. Port led 36-0 and seemed invincible, the question how many rather than who would win by now.

Wests turned that around a little with six minutes to go when on the last tackle, and on the back of two Port mistakes, Wests exposed an overlap and Sam Dorahy scored in the corner, Port led 36-4.

As the bell went, Mark Simon put up another monster bomb. Everyone, Port included, thought the ball was going well dead and watched as it hit the ground. The ball bounced just inside the dead ball line and at ninety degrees, right into the waiting arms of Lulia Lulia who took the score to 40-4 at the half time break.

The second half was a different story, both sides opening with long ventures into each other's halves. Wests day seemed to be characterised by a simple dropped ball five minutes into the half. Sam Dorahy knocked on and in frustration, booted the ball - right into the face of team mate Luke Watson standing just five metres away. The "Falcon" seemed to amuse many at the ground.

Mark Simon was given a spell five minutes into the game and ended up sitting out the rest of the match. Grant Bobbin in his return from a brief stint on the sidelines played well in the first half and also spent a fair amount of the second half on the bench along with Grant Roberts.

Wests were making mistake after mistake, kicking out on the full in the windy conditions on at least five occasions, passing the ball behind Adam Luchetti at least twice, and kicking backwards on the fifth tackle also. It took the error-riddled Devils until the 61st minute of the game to get their act together. A lot of time spent "dancing" by lock Clayton Campbell ended with halfback Jordan Andonovski straightening the play and crossing under the posts. Campbell converted and Wests trailed The Blacks 40-10.

Port went to sleep two minutes later, perhaps succumbing to their second game in five days. Adam Luchetti went through everything to score a converted try, the margin now back to 24 points. Andrew Bobbin stopped a seemingly certain try with five on the clock when he bundled the Wests attacker into touch in goal.

Clint Hill had another monster game backing up from Wednesday night's win over Corrimal. Hill split the defence wide open in the 38th minute, then made a break down the right side a minute later, kicking for a chasing Juita Suka. Suka couldn't win the race to the ball, but Port had won the game with a first half effort that any team would be proud of.

Mark Simon was instrumental in his side's first half performance, menacing the Wests defence seemingly at will. Brother Craig Simon had a blinder in his first game in a long time and Grant Bobbin made impressive yards through the centre of the rucks. Johno Johnson was his same scheming self and Juita Suka continues to impress out wide.

The Blacks now face Wollongong at Herb Clunas Oval, the Bulls having been beaten by 52 points at the hands of Collegians this week. Port sit two points adrift of Collegians in outright second place on the First Grade ladder. The Blacks as a club also lead the Club Championship by 15 points.

Mohamad Alchaar scored first for Port after eight minutes through a dive from dummy half. The blustery conditions made it difficult for kicking, and Wayne Harvey missed his first attempt. Wests scored seven minutes later through their centre after Port were close to scoring at the other end of the field on the previous set of tackles. Craig Dockett, returning to Wests ranks with Shane Leigh and Brad Reh, added the extras for a 6-4 lead.

The Blacks hit back when a switch of play by Wayne Harvey saw a perfect pass hit Jason Hardy. Hardy went through the hole and evaded the fullback and winger to cross out wide. The conversion attempt went wide again, but Port led 8-6 with fifteen minutes of play remaining in the first half. This remained the score at half time.

Seventeen minutes into the second half and with Port stretched and on the last tackle, some quick hands by Dockett led to West's second try to their winger. Port lost Paul Lokys and Jason Hardy early in the second half with leg injuries, and Wests had all the running of play in the middle section of the half. With eight to go, Wests caught Port napping out wide and centre Aaron Lucas crossed for his second try. The wests three quarter scored again two minutes later, Dockett goaling for a 20-8 lead with just five minutes of play remaining.

Brad Reh scored on the bell to give Wests a well deserved 16 point win. For Port, Victor Daly had a handy game and Ben Fera toiled away all day. Junior Phillip continues to impress, while Ben Carr was consistent at halfback.

Kane Armstrong and Joseph Gander led The Blacks to a win against arch rivals Wests, the only club to defeat them so far this year. The win for Port was marred however by the sending off of forwards Keiran Jack and Ellis Dale for a dangerous throw twelve minutes from full time.

Wests started the match without centre and former Black's player Zac Hill, on duty with the NSW Country representative team in New Zealand. Port were without Christian Kupenga, Jon Koot and Scott Crowther, but were boosted by the return of Osman Elmir after a couple of weeks on the sidelines.

Kane Armstrong opened Port's scoring with a clever scoop and run from dummy half from close range. His try was converted by Osman Elmir and Port led by six after just three minutes of play. It took another 27 minutes for either side to register additional points when Wests converted a penalty into points through a goal. The Devils then crossed for their first try of the match when their five-eighth scored for an easy conversion. The try came two minutes out from the break, Wests going into half time with a two point lead.

On the rsumption of play, Joseph Gander burst through some feeble defence and promoted play sixty metres before being eventually pulled down. Keiran Jack crossed from the next play to regain the lead for Port, Elmir's conversion giving a 12-8 scoreline in favour of The Wollongong Asphalt Blacks.

With 12 minutes gone on the clock, Ellis Dale was sin binned for back chat by the referee. It didn't seem to halt Port's progress though, Keiran Jack reaching out for a try under the posts despite being held up by three Wests defenders. The goal made it 18-8 to Port with 19 minutes gone in the second term.

Then with twelve on the clock, Ellis Dale and Keiran Jack were involved in an ugly tackle deemed dangerous by the referee and his touch judges. The two forwards were sent from the field, and now face an uneasy wait until their judiciary appearance on Monday night.

With only ten points separating the two teams and Port down to 11 players, Wests threw everything they had at The Blacks for the final ten minutes of play. However, to many dropped balls, selfish play and unnecessary passes saw The young Devils side make too many mistakes, and they were unable to capitalise in their two man advantage. Up to five tries went begging for the Devils in that period of time.

Instead, Osman Elmir got close to scoring when held up over the Wests line with thirty seconds of play remaining. Kane Armstrong capped off a fine match with another dummy half try after Jordan Kupenga almost scored the play preceding. Port ended up with an important 22-8 win over Wests.

For Port, Joseph Gander and Kane Armstrong led the way with some strong running, telling tackles and general enthusiasm. Oscar Ferreira played well in his final appearance before a four week absence. Port now face Helensburgh at Berkeley Park on Saturday in what shapes up as a danger game. The Burgh have pushed some fancied teams in recent times and Port will need to be on their game to get the two points.