Comets lose to Tigers 29/03/2010
THE CQ Comets will look back on Saturday’s Intrust Super Cup loss to Easts as one that got away – or perhaps taken away by Tigers halfback Tim Smith.
Playing the televised match of the round, the Comets started strongly but were made to pay for not putting points on the board as the Smith-inspired Easts Tigers defended well and then made the Comets suffer for their mistakes.
Easts eventually ran out winners 32-10.
The start by Comets gave supporters a feeling of false security as it attacked the Easts’ line, looking dangerous with each set, and having Junior Auru close to getting over for a try.
Aaron Summers was a tower of strength throughout the contest, taking the ball into the tackle and getting away a pass to a supporting team-mate.
With the Tigers having spent much of their time defending, the Comets were stung when second rower Chris Beasley was penalised for a high tackle.
From the ensuing set of six, Smith, with ball in hand, mesmerized the Comets defensive line to slip it to Mark Offerdahl who had the strength to dive over in the tackle of Ian Webster.
Smith added the extra points. Smith’s fellow playmaker Jace Van Dijk then got in the act with a massive 40/20 to set up a play for Smith who again bamboozled the Comets defence, to send Kevin Stephensen through a hole for another six-point try.
The Easts kicking game was killing the Comets, turning the team around as Smith and Van Dijk found wide open spaces.
Again Smith proved to be the destroyer with a little dummy, which the Comets defence bought, while he slipped through and suddenly the score was out to 18-0.
Smith added a penalty and then seconds from the interval, with the Comets pressing hard, a little grubber ended in the hands of Stephensen who made a break which left the Comets all over the park.
Although Stephensen was stopped, from the play-the-ball Adam Breen was fed a pass on the wing and he wrong-footed the cover defence to score.
From there it was always a matter of playing catch-up.
The Comets did look to be a better unit in the second spell and yet continued to fail to break the Easts line, making yards up the middle without having someone available to burst through the hole they occasionally created.
Yet when Jade Williams did pull back a try, it suddenly looked as if the Comets might be able to claw their way out of trouble.
Back-to-back tries were required and Ian Webster scored another when he got on the end of some good work by Guy Williams and Ben Hunt.
At 24-10 the Comets had the urgency and the momentum but when Junior Auru was ruled to have knocked on close to his line the Easts Tigers made the most of the gift from the Comets for Ben Vaeau to score.
A further Smith penalty gave Easts the win by 32-10.
For the Comets second-rower Guy Williams was outstanding, ably supported by Summers and Alan Rothery.
Matt Minto impressed when going forward, while Ben Hunt provided some nice touches.
Story courtesy of Alan Kennedy & The Morning Bulletin.
