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Port Kembla vs Dapto
Saturday 4th June, 2005
Port Kembla
30 (Troy Fleming, Juita Suka, Matthew Michalowski, Lincoln Hutchison (2)
Tries; Stuart Phillpott (4), Lulia Lulia Goals) Defeated Dapto 12 (Ricky
Greatz, Justin Holbrook Tries; Adam Blake (2) Goals)
Port scored a timely win over competition heavyweights Dapto at Dapto
showground today. The Blacks entered the match still without chief playmaker
Mark Simon and front rower Daniel Matthews, both still on the injured list.
Dapto were without former Black Grant Roberts and centre Ben Borg.
The first five minutes of the game
produced some big hitting, most of it coming from Port in the form of
Michael Cross. The chiselled front rower pulled of a number of bone jarring
tackles to put the Dapto attack on the back foot.
Port should have scored first after six
minutes when Stuart Phillpott put Lincoln Hutchison into the clear. Coming
to the fullback, Hutchison had the chance to pass outside to an unmarked
team mate, but instead passed inside to Phillpott who was mowed down by the
Dapto chasers.
A chain of errors then saw Dapto lose the
ball on their first tackle, before Port relinquished the ball back to Dapto
on their second.
The first fifteen minutes was punctuated
with errors from both sides, spoiling an otherwise tough and entertaining
game of football. It was the home side who got the first points when captain
Justin Holbrook went through two Port Kembla defenders, the two Black's
seemingly standing motionless allowing Holbrook to stroll through untouched.
Holbrook kicked cleverly for five eighth Damien Bryson to collect the ball
and dive over the line. Adam Blake converted for the 6-0 lead.
Dapto fullback Ricky Greatz returned a
Port kick with flair, progressing the ball 30 metres up field. Dapto kicked
on the next tackle, with their winger getting agonisingly close to
regathering before the ball went into touch five out from Port's line.
With four remaining in the half, Michael
Yatras kicked through, only to be severely impeded by the Dapto defence.
Referee Michael Dupille penalised the Dapto defender and Craig Simon had no
hesitation in directing Lulia Lulia to grab the two penalty points shortly
before the break.
The half time talk worked wonders with
Port coming out full of steam. The half was just 30 seconds old when Port's
defence forced a Dapto turnover. On the second tackle, Michael Cross fired a
pass inside to find Lincoln Hutchison who crossed under the sticks.
Phillpott's conversion gave Port a two point lead.
Three minutes later, a Phillpott kick in
goal forced Dapto to carry the ball over their dead ball line. From the drop
out, Juita Sugar stormed through the defence to cross for Phillpott to add
the extras, giving Port a 14-6 lead.
Matthew Michalowski chipped deftly in the
8th minute, only to see the ball evade the clutches of Craig Simon. The Port
crowd came to life ten into the half when Michael Cross bust Dapto's line,
only to see the ball put down two tackles later.
With 28 minutes remaining in the half,
Justin Holbrook put up a bomb which came down five metres behind him.
Matthew Michalowski was waiting to take the ball, then broke free of Dapto
defenders, sprinting 60 metres to score for Port. The conversion gave Port
a20-6 lead.
Dapto chipped and regathered with 15 to
go, Lulia Lulia seemingly just watching the play go by, until he lunged onto
the Dapto attacker, turning him onto his back and then forcing the ball free
over Port's tryline, saving what seemed like a certain Dapto four pointer.
Port replied a minute later when Greatz
failed to control a Phillpott bomb on his own ten metre line. Hutchison toed
the ball through, gathered it in and crossed for his second try of the
match.
The Canaries finally hit back with 12 to
go when Holbrook threw an inside ball to find Ricky Greatz who scored. Blake
converted to trim Port's lead to 14 points. Blake went to run down the left
flank but was caught by Craig Simon, the Black's Captain-Coach manhandling
Blake over the touch line.
Port were held up over the line with five
to go, before they finalised the scoring two short of full time. The ball
was thrown wide with the final pass finding first grade debutant Troy
Fleming on the wing. From a standing start, Fleming out ran the Dapto
chasers to score a 40 metre try in his first game. Port ran out winners
30-12.
For Port, Michael Cross was an
inspiration up front. Stuart Phillpott was busy, while Michael Yatras played
some good ball off the interchange bench.
The Blacks now move into a four way tie
for third place after Thirroul ended Collegian's undefeated season and
Corrimal narrowly downed Helensburgh.
PORT KEMBLA TEAM
| 1. Jason Sullivan |
7.
Matthew Michalowski |
13. Lincoln Hutchison |
| 2. Troy Fleming |
8. Michael Cross |
Interchange |
| 3. Craig Simon |
9. Luke Watts |
14. Michael Yatras |
| 4. Lulia Lulia |
10. Junior Phillip |
15. Luke Roberts |
| 5. Juita Suka |
11. Daniel Jiminez |
16. Darren Irwin |
| 6. Stuart Phillpott |
12. Joshua Edwards |
17. Nathan Heffernan |
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