In the first Friday night game for sime time, Springwood travelled to Dolphin Oval to take on Redcliffe. Springwood started well and jumped away to a 12-0 lead midway through the half, but Redcliffe fought their way back into the match and scored a try to trail by just 8, 12-4, at the break. A converted try early in the second half got them back within 2, but the visitors re-established a 6 point buffer with an unconverted try soon after. With eight minutes to go Redcliffe scored again but the conversion went wide. The home side had a number of opportunities to snatch a win in the dying stages, as they did in the clash between these two sides earlier in the year, but Springwood held on for an important 16-14 victory.
Arana hosted competition leaders Norths at Dawson Pde with the Devils missing a number of key players and the Panthers welcoming back a number of players, including Josh Bruce playing his first game since Round 1. Arana started poorly, dropping the ball in their first set and Norths capitalised to take an early 4-0 lead. Unfortunately for the home side this was story of the first 25 minutes, by which time Norths led 24-0 and seemed to have the match well in their keeping. Arana gained some hope from a converted try just before the break, and it seemed a new team had come out after half-time, as withing 12 minutes they had added three more tries, one a fighting individual effort from Brent and two from Geoff grubber kicks, to narrow the margin to 2 points, 24-22. Norths managed to repel a couple more attacking raids and then gained some breathing space when their hooker burroed over from dummy half with 10 minutes remaining to take the margin to 6. Arana attacked desperately in the last 10 minutes looking for the equaliser, but it was Norths who finished the scoring with a try as the full-time hooter sounded to run out 34-22 winners and maintain their clear lead at the top of the table.
Minute by minute:
2nd min: Norths-3 try; Norths 4-0
7th min: Norths-6 try; Norths 8-0
15th min: Norths-9 try/7 conv; Norths 14-0
17th min: Norths-3 try; Norths 18-0
22nd min: Norths-7 try/conv; Norths 24-0
29th min: Nash try/Brent conv; Norths 24-6
FIRST HALF STATS: Penalties: Arana 3-2; Completions: Arana 10/13 (76.9%); Norths 11/12 (91.7%)
32nd min: Brent try/conv; Norths 24-12
38th min: Dean try/Brent conv; Norths 24-18
42nd min: Geoff try; Norths 24-22
50th min: Norths-9 try; Norths 28-22
59th min: Norths-14 try/7 conv; Norths 34-22
SECOND HALF STATS: Penalties: Arana 2-1; Completions: Arana 11/14 (78.6%); Norths 2/12 (16.7%)
TOTAL STATS: Penalties: Arana 5-3; Completions: Arana 21/27 (77.8%); Norths 13/24 (54.2%)
At Brandon Park, Souths hosted Easts and must have had high hopes of picking up their first win of the season. This must have seemed closer to reality when they led 12-10 at half-time and by a similar margin just before full-time. As with 3 weeks ago against Arana however, Easts again extended their misery by snatching a last minute try to win 20-18, and once again deny the Magpies.
In the final game of the day Logan Bros hosted Centenary at Civic Park in a critical match for the visitors in regards to their finals chances. Unfortunately for the visitors the game was as good as over at halftime with the home side leading 26-0, and despite a better effort by the visitors in the second stanza, Logan Bros ran out commanding 42-6 victors and moved back into the top four.
Every team is now on different points, with Norths competition leaders on 18 and Springwood on 16, Redcliffe on 14 and Logan Bros on 13 making up the top four. Arana on 12 are just ahead the four, followed by Centenary struggling on 8, Easts on 7 and Souths yet to register a point.
The teams now get a week off, as Norths and Redcliffe fight out the Chairman's Trophy at Arana next weekend.
Brad T
30/5/2004
