Recap

Reds keep season alive with scrappy win

It wasn’t the prettiest performance of the year but it was certainly a timely one when the Goulburn Dirty Reds knocked over Hall by 31-10 at Poidevin Oval on Saturday.

If passion can be measured in yellow cards, this match would have rivalled 50 Shades of Grey. The ref was even handed but quick to jump on any infringement and both sides had three guys given ten minute spells on the bench.

Matches between Hall and Goulburn always come with a bit of feeling attached, and this time around the competition ladder only added to the significance of the result.

Goulburn and Hall were locked on fifth and sixth spot respectively, and with just two rounds remaining before the semis, a win was crucial for both sides to keep their competition hopes alive.

The Reds took the early initiative with first points from skipper Jordan Wilcox seven minutes in, which converted to a 7-0 lead seven minutes in. Ten minutes later Curtis Flood laid on a great try on the back end of structured phase play and shortly before the break Mik Webber dropped on to a pushover try for a half-time lead of 17-0.

So on the scoreboard things were looking good, but on the paddock it was a bit messy. Even with that lead, Goulburn submitted a bunch of unforced errors including a number of passes that were delivered to players shins or to a point just above their heads.

At the break, coach Ben Pearson drummed in the need for the side to cut back their errors and keep their patience in the second half, but it was hall that started the better in the second half.

In fact for the first ten minutes of the second half, the Bushrangers were dominant. The pushover try would demoralise a lot of sides but to their credit, Hall didn’t turn up their toes and played like the match would decide their fate for 2018. Which it would.

Hall’s field position and glut of possession yielded their first try ten minutes into the second half at which point Goulburn went back on the front foot.

The weight of possession told for the Reds this tipper as Wilcox crossed for his second try and ten minutes after that fullback Adam Lachlan crossed for Goulburn. Hall replied with a try in the final few minutes but the result by that time was well beyond reach for them, Goulburn winning 31-10.

The assignment now for Pearson and his troops is to return to composure and discipline they had been developing throughout the season. As Wilcox summed up after the match, they won ugly, but they didn’t have to win ugly.

In this round, the third and fourth placed teams (Queanbeyan and Royals) also played with Royals winning by 28-10. As a result, Goulburn is now most likely in third or fourth spot with Queanbeyan just four points (ie one win) behind. And because God loves his rugby, that’s who the Dirty Reds will be playing in next week’s final round for a grandstand finish… winner takes a spot in the semis.

Jordan Wilcox picked up three best and fairest points as well as the man of the match award. The other best and fairest points went to Jayden Hunt (2) and Curtis Flood (1).

Goulburn 31 (Jordan Wilcox 2, Mik Webber, Curtis Flood, Adam Lachlan tries, Webber 3 conversions) bt Hall 10.