SOAKS DERAILED ON ROCKY ROAD TO FINALS
Saturday, 2 August 2008 8:11pm
by Rick Boyd
A storming three-try bonanza midway through the second half earned Rockingham a closely contested 29-24 win over a tenacious Associates team at Allen Park, in Saturday’s RugbyWA club competition match of the round sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
Soaks dominated the first half of the seesaw game but Rockingham led 12-7 at the break with superior firepower from limited opportunities. Associates opened and finished the second half with passion but Rockingham’s shock and awe blitz from the 19th to the 30th minute stole the game.
The loss was desperately disappointing for the young Soaks team, shutting them out of the finals in two weeks. For a celebrating Rockingham team, the bonus point win firmed them in fourth place for their first finals appearance since returning to senior ranks.
It was all Soaks pressure to start, locking Rockingham in their half and hammering their line with wide-ranging attacks. Rockingham defended successfully but just as they looked like breaking out after 14 minutes, a sloppy pass was nabbed by flyhalf Matt Dreyer and he sprinted 30 metres to score beside the posts. Prop Damien Elton converted the sitter and Soaks went 7-0 up.
Rockingham bounced back to assault Soaks' line but a wide pass went into touch with the goal line undefended. The visitors stayed in Soaks territory briefly but the home side were making most of the play and moved downfield for Elton to miss a straight-forward penalty for offside after 27 minutes.
The teams were evenly matched in the set pieces but Rockingham's discipline troubled them, a string of free kicks helping Soaks keep the upper hand. But the southern club made ground after a Soaks knock on and spun the ball wide for wing Arnie Slabber to cut back inside and score after 32 minutes. Fullback Andrew Smith converted from out wide and the game was all square at 7 all.
Rockingham stayed on attack and threatened with a couple of penetrating charges, the hard running Smith forcing his way over in the corner a minute before half time. The difficult conversion failed but Rocky took a 12-7 lead into the break despite being heavily outweighed in territorial dominance.
Soaks stormed back into the second spell and charged up the touch line where wing Evan Fletcher passed off the ground to Dreyer in support and he shot over to score. Elton converted from the sideline to reclaim the lead 14-12 after six minutes.
Four minutes on Elton narrowly missed a difficult penalty kick for offside, as he did a long range attempt from the middle of the park a minute later.
Soaks stayed on attack but started to concede free kicks and when Rockingham wing Joe Symes sprinted wide and kicked ahead, prop Brendan O’Day was on hand to collect the regathered ball and barrel over for the try half way to the side line. The conversion missed but Rocky were back in front 17-14.
Rockingham ignited, repeatedly charging the Soaks line and the ball went wide after 25 minutes in a sparkling passage of play, quick passes down the line putting number eight Ryan Tyrrell over in the corner.
Rocky almost scored again minutes later, two Rocky backs leading the chase with the line undefended but the ball was knocked on. But Rocky were not to be denied and a quick throw in on the half hour caught Soaks napping and Symes raced down the sideline to cross out wide and come around to touch down behind the posts. Smith converted from in front to race out to a 29-14 lead.
Soaks charged back and Dreyer went over in the corner but the ball was knocked from his hands in goal. Soaks threw caution to the winds and quick hands out wide sent inside centre Sam Parker crashing over in the other corner. Elton converted from the sideline and the game was alive at 29-21 with six minutes to play.
Soaks waded back into the fray and Elton grabbed the chance at a penalty for driving over the ruck to narrow the gap to 29-24 with minutes on the clock. But Rockingham worked downfield and held Soaks in their 22 until full time for an invaluable win to keep third place with the finals two weeks away.
In other games, Kalamunda thumped Cottesloe 54-16 at Harvey Field, Wanneroo walloped wooden spooners Palmyra 79-10 at Kingsway, Perth-Bayswater stayed in touch with the top four with a vital 29-0 bonus point win over Wests-Subiaco at Rosalie Park and Nedlands thrashed University 62-17 at the Foreshore.
