Junior Comets’ defense key to win over Pride 07/03/2010
SOME bruising defense late in the match from dummy half Luke Crumblin has helped the Central Comets under 18s to victory over the Northern Pride in their Mal Meninga Cup contest on Saturday evening.
Crumblin got the home crowd into the match when he crunched Pride winger, Daniel Kepa in a tackle after Kepa picked the ball up in his own in-goal area, beat three defenders and had the chance to run the length of the field to level the match.
The Comets eventually won the match 14-8 despite the Northern side scoring the opening two tries.
The Pride opened up their scoring account just 8 minutes in, after diving on a ball spilt by Comets centre Kurt Mann after winger David Munns threw a risky pass behind his own try line.
They followed up quickly with another try after winger Kepa intercepted a Comets’ pass on the half way line and ran 50 metres to score in the corner.
Both conversions were unsuccessful and by midway through the first half the Comets were trailing 8-0.
The Comets side went close to scoring during the first half but was stopped by some strong defense from the Pride.
Halfback Jack Madden capitalized on a string of penalties late in the half when he stepped back inside some tired defenders to score under the posts.
David Munn’s attempted conversion was successful and at half-time the Comets trailed the Pride 8-6.
Immediately following the break, the Comets took the lead for the first time when winger Denzel Mooney finished off a crisp back line movement by scoring in the left corner.
From there, the Comets defense took over and despite a few attacking raids late in the match the Northern Pride were unable to crack the Central side’s defensive line.
Late in the contest the Comets’ goal-line defense eventually forced an error from the Pride and from the ensuing 20 metre restart some classy work from second rower Alex Choyce put fullback Brett Rediex over to seal the match.
Comets coach Steve Parle knew that getting a win over the Northern Pride was important for the Comets’ chances of making the semi-finals in this year’s Mal Meninga Cup.
“It’s nice to get the four points,” Parle said.
“Tonight was worth double points because we got washed out in Bowen (in Round 1).
“Getting the win tonight sets up our season to do well,” Parle said.
In the under 16 match played earlier, the Comets snatched victory from the Northern Pride late in the match when second rower Corey Oates beat two defenders and scored under the posts.
Oates was the stand out in the 24-18 win, impressing with some bruising defense throughout the match.
Oates showed his versatility moving to the centres early in the game after Nathan Marshall suffered an injury early on.
The Central Comets under 16s and 18s take on the Townsville Stingers this Saturday afternoon at Browne Park.
The Mal Meninga and Cyril Connell Cup games kickoff at 3.30pm and 5pm respectively as the curtain raisers to the Round 1 Queensland Cup clash between the Central Comets and the Mackay Cutters at 7pm.
Cyril Connell Cup
CENTRAL COMETS 24 (Harry Pondekas 2, Luke Guinane, Cory Oates tries; Angus Dorante 3, Cory Oates goals) def NORTHERN PRIDE 18 (Nene MacDonald, Mitchell Grimes, Eddie Daniels, David Waigana tries; Mitchell Grimes goal) at Browne Park. (Double Points)
Mal Meninga Cup
CENTRAL COMETS 14 (Brett Rediex, Denzel Mooney, Jack Madden tries; David Munns goal) def NORTHERN PRIDE 8 (Francis Mosby, Tom Hancock tries) at Browne Park. (Double Points)
