Port Kembla vs Berkeley
Saturday 24th June, 2006
Berkeley Sports Ground

Berkeley 40 (Kane Williams, Dane Kershaw, Glenn McPhee, Peter Hodges, Matiu Taahi, Greg Nicholls, Luke Cox Tries; Dale McAllister (6)  Goals) Defeated Port Kembla 22 (Junior Seumanutafa, Matthew Michalowski, Willie Topou (2) Tries; Reece Blayney (3/4) Goals)

Port entered the match against Berkeley in a three way tie for fifth spot with Wollongong and Corrimal and ended the day in a four way tie, adding the Eagles to the list after a below par display against their neighbours. With Lulia Lulia and Mark Simon still on NSW Country duties, Port were dealt further blows when Craig Simon and Linken Hutchinson withdrew from the match and Joseph Gander was absent from the squad.

Some relief was at hand with Port enjoying the services of Dragons Jersey Flegg players Junior Seumanutafa, Reece Blayney and Willie Topou, however without a training session with Port under their belts, combinations had not been formed well.

Berkeley went to an early 10-0 lead after just eight minutes of play through tries to Greg Nicholls and Matiu Taahi and a conversion by Dale McAllister. Port started squandering possession early on and in the 11th minute coughed up the pill to send Berkeley on the attack again. Luckily for the Blacks, Berkeley lost the ball early in the tackle count.

Kane Williams ushered a ball over the dead ball line, and when a flying Matt Michalowski hugged him while in the process of pulling up inside the field, Williams threw the ball at Michalowski, earning a penalty for Port.

Eighteen into the game, Ivan Buchanan found himself with the ball wide out and scampered for the tryline, only to be ruled to have lost the ball on the line. It took just two minutes for Berkeley to go 16 ahead when Reece Blayney failed to find touch from a penalty kick and Glenn McPhee went in shortly after.

Port were on the scoreboard in the 25th minute when and Aaron Henry burst put his team in good position for Willie Topou to cross in the following tackle. Blayney converted and Port were chasing the Eagles at 6-16.

Berkeley had other ideas though and replied three minutes later when, on the back of another dropped ball, quick hands found Peter Hodges out wide. McAllister converted from a wide angle and Berkeley led 22-6.

Junior Seumanutafa scored in the 32nd minute and Clark Webb offloaded brilliantly for Matthew Michalowski to cross in the 35th, bringing the margin back to just four, but Port's momentum was halted when Glenn McPhee put Luke Cox over just before the break. McAllister converted and The Eagles led Port 28-18 at the break.

Port's second half started poorly with a dropped ball from the first set of the half. Topou found himself in the sinbin six into the half when he was on the wrong end a third successive penalty for holding in the tackle, and Kane Williams scored a soft try from the tap restart.

Berkeley were penalised with the ball ten into the half and Port went close to scoring, only to drop the ball over the tryline. Berkeley brought their tally to 40 in the 56th minute of the game when a Clark Webb cut-out pass was intercepted by Dane Kershaw who ran eighty metres to score.

Aaron Henry and Scott Commins were both sin binned for backchat in the 21st minute when their frustration with erratic refereeing decisions boiled over. To Port's credit, the Eagles were held out while they were off the field.

Blayney picked up the spoils of a Berkeley loose ball close to Port's line in the 65th minute and sprinted down the sideline, only to be taken into touch by a chasing Peter Taylor on the halfway line.

Dane Kershaw threatened to score again in the 73rd minute with a great break and was caught by Matt Michalowski on Ports ten. The centre managed to get a pass away which was kicked in goal before Ivan Buchanan cleaned up for the disjointed Black's side.

Topou got some ground back for Port with four to play when he received a Seumanutafa pass on his way to the line, but the damage was more than done, Berkeley running out deserved winners 40-22.

It was Port's sixth straight loss and the frustration of not being able to field a full team continues to frustrate coach Craig Simon. The Black's can't seem to control the ball and this is contributing to the opposition running up some big scores in recent weeks, today being no different. The flair of Mark Simon and the stability of Craig Simon and Lulia Lulia holding the backline together were sorely missed today.

Aaron Henry had a big game, leading from the front, and would have played the entire 80 minutes if not for his sin binning. Luke Roberts played well in his first game as team captain, and Ivan Buchanan was a revelation out wide. Matthew Michalowski had a good game also, but it was not enough to break Port's losing streak.

PORT KEMBLA TEAM

Berkeley 28 Defeated Port Kembla 20 (Chris Richards (2), John Cassidy, Chris Dove Tries; Daniel Bunt (2) Goals)

Port's Reserve Grade side squandered a great opportunity to gain a slice of the top five when facing cellar dwellars Berkeley. The Eagles had other ideas and proceeded to inflict a painful 28-20 defeat of the Blacks.

Brendon Lachmond opened the scoring for Berkeley in the eighth minute and Chris Dove levelled in the fifteenth. Nick Nikitaras, playing in his 150th Grade game for The Blacks, off-loaded to John Cassidy who in turn sent Chris Richards on his way to the line, giving Port a 10-6 lead after 18 minutes.

Berkeley took the lead in the 25th minute through a Troy Simpson try and Daniel Hodges goal. Peter Leaupe scored with three to go for a 16-10 lead to Berkeley at the break.

Paul Morris sent the Eagles further ahead after just four minutes of the second half when he crossed for Hodges to convert. Chris Richards scored an intercept try two minutes later to leave Port six points in arrears before a Brendan McAllister penalty goal gave Berkeley an eight point buffer.

Steven Bell crossed in the 22nd minute to extend Berkeley's lead to 12, before John Cassidy scored for Port in the 26th minute, the final score of the game. Berkeley the victors 28-20.

Port were scrappy at best, but showed glimpses of their potential. The Blacks have now lost to two sides below them on the ladder which is good measure of the sides inconsistency.

Chris Richards was a standout for Port and Chris Dove tried hard in his return to The Blacks.

Berkeley 20 Defeated Port Kembla 18 (Sandy Ulukita, Kris Sullivan, Jordan Kupenga Tries; Fouad Hijazi (3) Goals)

Port held a 12-0 lead when Berkeley scored on the stroke of half time to reduce the margin to just 6. The Blacks went in front and led 18-14 with seconds to play. A try to Ricky Gleis on the stroke of halftime left scores level at 18 a piece, but a Teei Piawi sideline conversion gave Berkeley bragging rights over their neighbours.

Ben Dove continues to play solid footy for the Wollongong Asphalt Under 18s and Josh Michalowski had a good game. Port will now find it difficult to secure a top two spot, but they have shown that they can match it with the competition's heavyweights. Dropped balls on the first tackle of their last three sets let the Eagles back into the game, and this is something that coach Terry Johnson will surely be working on in the remainder of the regular season to prepare the boys for the season's end.

PORT KEMBLA TEAM