Another full round of fixtures with 2 being played on Friday night and the other two on Sunday.
In the earlier Friday night game Redcliffe travelled to Centenary to line up in their third tough game in 6 games. After taking care of Logan Bros and Arana on Sunday and Wednesday a win over Centenary would ensure their place in the finals and extinguish Centenary's faint hopes. The first 20 minutes was tight although the Dolphins did manage to grab a 4-0 lead in this time, but it looked as though it was going to be anybody's game. However in the 10 mins before halftime the visitors hit the accelerator to dash away to a 20-0 lead and all but wrap up the match. Centenary saw a glimmer of hope with a try early in the second half, but it was only brief with Redcliffe completing a great week for them with a 42-4 victory.
The other Friday night match saw a 12-man Easts outfit travel to Bishop Park to challenge the formidable Norths Devils. The Tigers were not overawed however and jumped away to an early 6-0 lead. Norths stormed back however and scored 3 tries in 8 minutes and it looked as though it could be a cricket score. The visitors regroupled however and managed a converted try of their own to go to the break only trailling 16-12. Norths scored early in the second half to go to a 22-12 lead, but the tenacious Tigers held on for the next 15 minutes, during which time they were reduced to 11, and at one stage 10, players through injury. Eventually the effort told with Norths scoring 4 late tries ti run out 42-12 winners, the final stages unfortunately marred by an incident which saw a Norths player dismissed.
Minute by minute:
3rd min: Easts-1 try/conv; Easts 6-0
8th min: Norths-1 try/6-conv; 6-6
12th min: Norths-13 try/6-conv; Norths 12-6
16th min Norths-12 try; Norths 16-6
30th min: Easts 6-try/1-conv; Norths 16-12
FIRST HALF STATS: Penalties: Easts 3-2; Completions: Norths 9/14 (64.3%); Easts 10/13 (76.9%)
33rd min: Norths-10 try/6-conv; Norths 22-12
45th min: Norths-3 try/conv; Norths 28-12
49th min: Norths-13 try; Norths 32-12
55st min: Norths-5 try; Norths 36-12
59th min: Norths-16 try/6-conv; Norths 42-12
SECOND HALF STATS: Penalties: Norths 4-2; Completions: Norths 9/16 (56.3%); Easts 3/9 (33.3%)
TOTAL STATS: Penalties: Norths 6-5; Completions: Norths 18/30 (60.0%); Easts 13/22 (59.1%)
Arana travelled to Civic Park for a critical match against Logan Bros but got away to a disastrous start with a dropped ball gifting the home side a converted try early and bringing back memories of a similar try by Redcliffe a few days earlier. Arana fought back however and a neat chip-and-chase try by Nash levelled the scores. It was a very tight first half with both teams squandering opportunities through poor handling in the opposition 20 and at half-time the score was 6 all. Lgan Brothers came out firing in the second half, and before Arana had touched the ball the home side had scored two tries to take a 16-6 lead. Arana started to throw the ball around and began to trouble the Logan Bros defence and within 10 minutes had scored to score 2 tries of their own to level at 16 all. A penalty goal with 7 minutes remaining saw the home side take a 2 point lead, but a dropped ball from the kickoff returned the ball to Arana and they capitalised with a try to lead 20-18 with 3 minutes remaining. Logan Bros were not to be denied and a repeat set after a high tackle gave them the opportunity to score and regain the lead 24-20 with only seconds left. Arana went despairingly close to regaining the ball in the clear from the kickoff but it spilled free, effectively ending the Panthers semi-final hopes.
Minute by minute:
9th min: L.B.-2 try/7-conv; L.B. 6-0
19th min: Nash R try/Josh B conv; 6-6
FIRST HALF STATS: Penalties: Arana 5-2; Completions: Arana 13/20 (65.0%); L.B. 10/17 (58.8%)
32nd min: L.B.-2 try; L.B. 10-6
35th min: L.B.-1 try/7-conv; L.B. 16-6
39th min: Mitchell C try/Alex T conv; L.B. 16-12
47th min: Geoff H try; 16-16
53rd min: L.B.-7 pen goal; L.B. 18-16
55th min: Geoff H try; Arana 20-18
58th min: L.B.-12 try/7-conv; L.B. 24-20
SECOND HALF STATS: Penalties: 2-2; Completions: Arana 9/9 (100.0%); L.B. 6/11 (54.5%)
TOTAL STATS: Penalties: Arana 7-4; Completions: Arana 22/29 (75.9%); L.B. 16/28 (57.1%)
The final game of the day saw Souths hosting Springwood at Brandon Park where the Magpies had performed so well this year. The home side only had 12 players however and were no match for the slick Springwood side who lead 24-0 at the break and jumped to a 52-0 lead before a consolation try in the final moments gave Souths their only joy in a 52-6 defeat.
The weekend's results all but decides the final four with Redcliffe and Norths sharing the lead on 24 points (although Norths have a game against Logan Bros in hand), followed by Springwood on 22. Logan Bros on 17 move back into the top 4, but have two games in hand (Easts and Norths). Arana are on 16 followed by Centenary on 12 (with a game against Souths in hand this Wed). Easts on 7 and Souths on 0 also have a game in hand against Logan Bros and Centenary respectively.
Brad T
26/7/2004
