Port 48 def. Dapto 16

The game was only two minutes old when Jason Sullivan sliced through the Dapto backline and set sail for the try line. He was bundled into touch agonisingly close and Dapto received possession courtesy of a scrum. The game was thirteen minutes old when Port opened the scoring through Nick Nikitaras. "Nikko" went on a ram raid like mission towards the try line, and in the end was close enough to stretch out and plant the ball where it needed to be for Port to receive the four points. Johno Johnson added the extras and Port led by six early on.

Six minutes later, Johnson made a telling break, finding Jeff Hardy on his outside. Hardy threw the ball backwards and it was cleverly flicked on quickly to a rampaging Clint Hill who crashed over to score. Johnson's conversion extended Port's lead to twelve, and the likeable hooker extended the margin by another two in the 25th minute with a simple penalty goal.

Seven from the break, Sullivan again sliced through the Dapto backs, this time straight to the Dapto line to score Port's third try. Port's lead had grown to twenty on the back of another Johnson conversion.

The Canaries hit back three minutes later when a grubber on the last tackle was dived on by a flying Adam Blake. Blake converted his own try and Dapto had reduced Port's lead to fourteen.

The Black's final first half try came when Jason Sullivan broke the defensive line fifty metres out and sprinted to score an easy try under the posts one minute short of the half time break. Port went into the rest period with a healthy 26-6 advantage over the Dapto outfit.

The Blacks resumed their scoring spree three minutes into the second half when Jeff Hardy split the Canaries on the edge of the ruck, throwing a final ball to winger Paul Lokys who crossed out wide. Johnson converted his most difficult attempt of the afternoon for Port to lead 32-6.

Dapto responded 48 minutes into the game when a missed one on one tackle by Port allowed Trent Head to score. Blake missed the conversion attempt, but Dapto had reached double figures at ten points.

Andrew Bobbin created his own opportunities in the 13th minute of the half by scoring from fifteen out. Johnson missed his first goal attempt of the day, but Port went in again ten minutes later when Jeff Hardy off-loaded to Clint Hill who took on the defence and passed to a following Hardy to cross adjacent to the sticks. Port's lead had grown to 32 points.

The Black's final try came in the 31st minute of the half. Captain-Coach Craig Simon did it all himself, shrugging off a Dapto defender, then standing up Ian Catania to cross under the posts with three defenders on his back.

Dapto completed the afternoon's scoring with a second try to Trent Head in the 38th minute, the final score line 48-16 in favour of Port.

If Collies can defeat Thirroul tomorrow (Sunday 25/7/04), The Blacks find themselves in a more than likely top two position and the first week of the finals series off, allowing Mark Simon and Nathan Heffernan the added week's rest. It also gives Port two bites of the cherry in a competition where any of the top four are legitimate title aspirants.

Clint Hill was named a worthy Player's Player with Grant Roberts, Jason Sullivan and Jeff Hardy also showing great skill and determination on the day. If Port can continue this form for the remaining rounds of the competition and into the semi finals, they will be a difficult proposition for the favoured Collegians squad and other contenders Thirroul and Wests, the first two of which are Port's remaining regular season opponents.

PORT KEMBLA FIRST GRADE TEAM
1. Jason Sullivan	7. Greg Hooper	13. Grant Roberts
2. Juita Suka	8. Clint Hill	INTERCHANGE
3. LuliaLulia	9. Johno Johnson	15. Clinton Schrader
4. Craig Simon	10. Grant Roberts	16. Luke Roberts
5. Paul Lokys	11. Nick Nikitaras	17. Paul Denniss
6. Jeff Hardy	12. Andrew Bobbin	18. Junior Phillip

Port had the first opportunity to score when awarded a penalty 35 metres out just off centre. Joel Murton's attempt went horribly wrong and the score remained 0-0. Dapto scored first when Grant Sullivan received a great pass from a player on his way to the ground. The goal was unsuccessful, but Dapto led by four after thirteen had gone.

Clinton Schrader broke the line three minutes later and kicked for his outside backs, but the ball was fumbled close to Dapto's line and the opportunity passed Port by. Dapto scored again after 21 minutes of play had expired. Sullivan went in for his second when he scored under heavy attention from Port. Fletcher kicked straight this time and Dapto led by ten.

Port kicked from a scrum with four remaining and speedster Jason Hardy gave chase, toeing the ball through. Luckily for Dapto, they reached the ball first and tapped it dead. Port were disappointing in the first 35 minutes, their attack lacking punch for most of the half, while Dapto were playing a more disciplined style of league.

 Dapto returned in the second half with the same commitment to get the job done. They took just two minutes to score again when five-eighth Craig Dixon crossed midway between the posts and the corner. In doing so, Dixon left Victor Daly in obvious pain on the ground having sustained an injury in his attempt to stop Dixon from scoring. Dixon converted his own try and Dapto all but had the game wrapped up at 16-0 with just two minutes of the second half gone.

The game could have taken a dramatic turn when Dapto fullback Ricky Greatz was sent from the field for a dangerous throw, seemingly after the tackle was called by the referee. Port scored from that penalty, Joel Murton crossing out wide. Port had reeled the margin in to two converted tries and had the one man advantage for the remaining twenty minutes of play.

However, it was Dapto who lifted another gear, menacing The Black's outfit with a free-running brand of football which saw them cross for tries in the 23rd minute through an interchange player, and again in the 26th minute through Clint Primmer. Neither try was converted, but the game was safely in Dapto's grasp at 24-4 with nine minutes to go in the game.

Although well beaten by Dapto, Port did score again in the 33rd minute when Glenn McPhee scored out wide. Murton made his first kick of the afternoon and Port ended on the wrong side of a 24-10 scoreline.

For Port, Ben Fera played well in his 100th Reserve Grade game for the club. Don Kane was great at fullback, and Clinton Schrader showed some good form leading into the semis.

The win sees Dapto in a top four berth with just two games to play. Port slip to at best equal fourth and at worst equal fifth. Either way, their destiny is in their own hands with a home match against Thirroul and an away fixture against Collegians. Both sides are just ahead of the Blacks, Thirroul at least on percentages, with the possibility of Collegians pulling away to three points out of reach of Port if they down Thirroul this round.

PORT KEMBLA RESERVE GRADE TEAM
1. Don Kane	8. Wayne Harvey	INTERCHANGE
2. Victor Daly	9. Mohamad Alchaar	14. Troy Fleming
3. Joel Murton	10. Junior Phillip	15. Ben Fera
4. Jason Hardy	11. Luke Roberts	16. Paul Denniss
5. Glenn McPhee	12. Daniel Jiminez	17. Matt Skora
6. Clinton Schrader	13. Shane Glasson	19. George Webb
7. Ben Carr		20. Matt Campbell

Dapto scored in the 14th minute through Steve Campbell and then again in the 21st minute when Matt Webster crossed. Both tries were similar in structure with the big Dapto forwards scoring from close range on both occasions. The 12-0 lead could have been 14 if not for missed Trent Grundy penalty goal attempt in the 34th minute.

This was punctuated by a Chrstian Kupenga break in the 32nd minute. The Port half went on a 50 metre run upfield, only to throw an errant inside ball which was collected by Dapto chasers.

Kupenga got himself over the Dapto tryline two minutes after the resumption of play only to be held up by the defence. Port got themselves momentarily back into the game in the sixth minute of the half when Kupenga threw a long ball to Osman Elmir who in turn found Joel Court wide out who trotted fifteen metres to score. Keith Lulia's sideline conversion had Dato up by six points.

Any joy was short lived though with Court taking the kick-off into touch, handing possession to The Canaries. Dapto kicked low on the fourth tackle and winger Darren Blinksall gladly accepted the perfectly bouncing ball to score. Port coughed up possession again in the 21st minute when some poor communication saw to Port players collide while trying to catch the football off of a Dapto kick. The bouncing ball was collected by Ian Catania who scored the easiest of tries.

Catania scored again in the 27th minute before Darren Blinksall scored his second of the day in the last minute for Dapto to run out winners by 30-6.

For Port, Christian Kupenga had a timely return to form and collected the Player's Player award in the process. Joel Court also played well. Port were not helped by suspected injuries to Joseph Gander and Matt Michalowski. Kane Armstrong was absent after being handed a three game suspension at the judiciary on Monday night, relating to his send off against Dapto in round 15.

Dapto are all but certain to take out the Minor Premiership and have the first week of the Finals off. Port will need to play well in the last two games against Thirroul and Berkeley to ensure a top two finish, or else they will be meeting Wests in a sudden death semi final clash in the first week of the semis.