Port Kembla vs Corrimal
Tuesday 9th August, 2005
Dapto Showground

Port Kembla 24 (Craig Simon, Chris Dove, Lulia Lulia, Mark Simon Tries; Mark Simon (4) Goals) Defeated Corrimal 14 (Peter Reeves, Daniel Brigham Tries; Adam Kerr (3) Goals)

An inspirational 14 minutes on the field by the Black's Michael Cross helped lift Port to a 24-14 win over a courageous and committed Cougars side at Dapto Showground tonight. Cross sat on the bench for most of the night, but came on when the game was on the line, Corrimal ahead by two points. His first taste of the game was a bone jarring tackle from the kick off on Ben Westblade. His first two touches of the ball were bullocking, yard grabbing runs, and his presence was the "X" factor which raised the intensity level for Port, and pushed them to score two unanswered tries to steal the match from Corrimal.

Corrimal had their woes coming into the game with back to back losses against Helensburgh which allowed Port into this play-off scenario. Their troubles were compounded with a rising injury toll, including their lynch pin captain, Don Tweddle.

Port Kembla had their own injury concerns with Stuart Philpott, Lincoln Hutchison, Michael Yatras and Matthew Michalowski all sidelined courtesy of some bruising encounters over past weeks. Michael Cross, while suited up ready to play, went into the match under an injury cloud and spent all but 14 minutes on the bench.

Port scored early when a Corrimal dropped ball inside the first five minutes saw Craig Simon toe the ball through and dive on it over the line. Mark Simon converted for Port to lead 6-0. Simon turned villain in the 8th minute when he kicked out on the full in general play, handing over possession to The Cougars. Corrimal received a penalty ten out from Port's line shortly after and went on the attack, but some great one on one defence from Josh Edwards and Keith Lulia forced an early turn over.

The next ten minutes had the crowd screaming for their respective teams to go forward, most of the play confined to the centre sixty metres of the Showground, although Corrimal had the better of most of the play. In the 20th minute a Mark Simon kick was fielded by Corrimal on their own twenty, only to lose the ball in the ruck area. Two minutes later Simon grubbered in goal on the last for a Port chase, only to see Nathan Heffernan knock on close to the dead ball line in the process of trying to touch down.

Corrimal found some space out wide from the ensuing possession and kicked forward when they reached the Port thirty, but the ball was cleaned up by Heffernan just inside his own tryline. A moment later, Jiuta Suka came out of the defensive line to rush the Cougar attack, but the ball found it's way out to Peter Reeves who crossed in the corner. Adam Kerr's sideline conversion levelled the scores with 24 minutes gone.

Corrimal's good work was undone when they knocked on from the kick off. Port capitalised with their possession when Craig Simon was held up in a tackle, but managed to struggle his arms free, off-loading to replacement player, Chris Dove, who scored. Mark Simon missed a relatively easy conversion to leave Port ahead by four.

Trent Hill kicked low with four on the clock, only to see the ball cleaned up by Jason Sullivan under heavy pressure form the Corrimal chasers. With a minute left on the clock, Port received a penalty thirty five out and just off centre. Mark Simon kicked the penalty goal to see Port go into the break with a six point lead.

The second stanza started off shakily for Port, Nathan Heffernan trying to off-load under the clutches of three Cougar defenders. The ball went awry and Corrimal received possession courtesy of a scrum. The green and red army cried for points just as Corrimal were held up over the line. From the restart, Jiuta Suka was penalised for dragging a player into touch after they were tackled. Keith Lulia, starting in the place of the injured brigade, made back to back tackles before Heffernan knocked the ball forward on the Port tryline trying to field a Corrimal kick on the last.

Mark Simon missed a tackle in the 45th minute which saw Corrimal extend their attack to Port's ten metre line. Daniel Brigham was on the end of abackline movement before he stepped inside and found a narrow path to the line to score. Adam Kerr converted to level the scores once more.

In the 48th minute, Suka fielded a kick rather clumsily, but was ruled to have knocked backwards and play was allowed to continued. In the 51st minute, Lulia Lulia tried to flick a pass inside, but in the pressure of the tackle, the ball was propelled forward to The Cougars. Corrimal then received a relieving penalty to take the play thirty metres from their own line.

Luke Roberts found the ball in his possession a few minutes later on the final tackle and bombed high, the ball coming down in the Corrimal in goal area, Corrimal's fullback knocking on to force a Corrimal drop out.

In the 58th minute of play, Nikitaras was upended in a legal Corrimal tackle, then a high bomb on the fifth landed in goal and then jack-knifed left, just eluding the Port chasers as it bounced dead in goal.

The half was almost half gone as Jiuta Suka burst through the defence, striding thirty metres to reach the halfway line before being brought down by the chasing defence. Port made their way to the Cougars ten before Daniel Jiminez kicked for himself on the fifth and managed to trap Corimal in goal, earning a repeat set of six.

From the restart, Nikitaras earned a penalty when he was taken high in a tackle, the penalty seeing Port restart play only thirty out and on the attack. Port's advantage was taken away when they were penalised for not playing the ball correctly.

Corrimal received a penalty with fifteen to go in front of the sticks, and Adam Kerr potted the easy attempt to give Corrimal a two point lead.

Michael Cross then took the field to the roar of the raucous Port Kembla army and immediately went about lifting the Blacks. Tries to Lulia Lulia off Mark Simon in the 69th minute, then Mark Simon in the 75th minute, started from a Craig Simon break, gave Port an eight point lead and a place in the next play-off against Dapto on Thursday night.

Corrimal tried a short kick-off but knocked on, and Mark Simon kicked a penalty goal twenty seconds out from full-time to ice Port's win.

Michael Cross provided the inspiration at the end, but it was the forward pack led by Josh Edwards, Nick Nikitaras, Junior Phillip and Luke Roberts that paved the way for victory. Darren Irwin started the game in place of Cross and maintained a high workrate throughout the game.

Keith Lulia had a big defensive game while the Simon brothers Craig and Mark were instrumental in Port's direction and attack.

The team will now assess the damage of tonight's game at a recovery and training session on Wednesday before heading to WIN Stadium Thursday for the Dapto showdown. The Canaries will no doubt be rated favourites for the match, But Port will look to bring that never say die attitude to the match to try and keep the Black and White flame alive in '05.

PORT KEMBLA TEAM