Recap

Reds grind out tough win against Gungahlin

By CHRIS GORDON

The Goulburn Dirty Reds first grade side returned to the circle with a hard-fought 24-21 win over the Gungahlin Eagles.

After losses in their last two matches, the Reds bounced back with a provided a gritty and committed effort in a tough, physical contest.

Even more heartening was Goulburn’s ability to overturn a half time deficit to grind out the win.

The first half began at a frenetic pace and scoring was hard to come by.

It was 17 minutes before Gungahlin scored first points but Goulburn quickly replied with a try to Mik Webber built on a series of inside passes between Webber and Jordan Wilcox up centre field.

It was only a few minutes before Gungahlin crossed again, and only ten minutes after that that Wilcox added Goulburn’s second and with Gungahlin up 14-12 at half-time there was very little between the sides.

The second half got off to a bad start for Goulburn with Gungahlin scoring their third try inside of the first two minutes of the second half to now lead by nine, but they would be the last points Gungahlin would score.

Goulburn doubled down at the break down, piling on the pressure with repeat phase play.

This was not to be an expansive game and came down to a lot of contact contest. With repeat pick and drives and driving mauls, the Reds put the Eagles on the back foot and the sustained effort resulted in a Brad Clements try 10 minutes into the second half.

For the remainder of the match, the Reds toughed it out and ground it out with a relatively mistake free and committed second chapter.

Thirteen minutes after Clement’s try, again pressuring the Gungahlin line, fly half Abram Kara spotted at best a half gap in the Eagles line and break through it for a try alongside the posts and with Webber’s conversion, Goulburn was now up by three points.

There were more opportunities from both sides, and great defence from both, for the remainder of the match but the Reds held on for a steely victory.

Making the win even more pleasing was the fact that the Eagles had supplemented their team with some higher-grade players who had the bye against Penrith, but the added strength didn’t change the result.

This was one of those tough contests that you regret if it gets away from you. While it was a great outcome for the Reds to get another win after a couple of losses, even more heartening was their ability to turn around a half-time deficit with an adjusted and determined second half effort.

Best and fairest for Goulburn were Jordan Wilcox (3), Will Mooney (2) and Brad Clements (1) with Wilcox also named Player’s Player.

The men’s first grade side will have next weekend off and will return the following week for a home match against Wests.

Goulburn 24 (Webber, Wilcox, Clements, Kara tries, Webber 2 goals) bt Gungahlin 21 (Kavaliku-Skinner 2, Power tries, Scott 3 conversions).

Photos: CHRIS GORDON.

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