THE Nowra-Bomaderry Jets gave the crowd something to cheer about, with a hard-fought 42-30 win against the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles, in their final home game of the season at Nowra Showground.
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It was a good day to be named Sean, with Jets five-eighth Sean Deaves and Eagles back rower Sean Jenkins each bagging a hat-trick.
After coming out of the blocks firing, the Jets were up 24-nil before inviting the Eagles back into the game, which made for a very exciting finish.
The Jets opened their account off the first set of six, when a Sean Deaves bomb bounced awkwardly and ended up in the waiting hands of Nathan Falzon, who went over in the corner.
Deaves was back in the action a few minutes later with a try of his own to give the Jets an early 10-nil lead.
The Jets kept their foot on the accelerator with Matt Rouen and Jason Bell scoring tries, while Deaves added his second to give them a 24-nil lead after just 20 minutes.
But just when you might have been ready to say the Eagles were in for a long afternoon, they soon opened their account, with Jenkins scoring his first for the day.
In the back end of the first half, the Jets defence in the middle of the field was vulnerable and the Eagles added another when Dean Gray scooted out of dummy half.
It was soon 30-18 when Jenkins crossed for his second a few minutes later.
The Eagles had all the momentum in the last few minutes before the break, but a costly mistake paved the way for Deaves to score his third and give the Jets some breathing space with a 30-18 lead at half time.
The boot of Eagles five-eighth Matt Carroll had kept the Jets on their toes in the first half and he was up to old tricks again after the break.
Carroll put his side within striking distance when he scored their next himself and landed his fourth straight conversion.
He was in the thick of the action again a few minutes later, firstly with a 40/20 to get them back in their own half and then with a grubber, which Sean Jenkins got his hands on to score his third for the afternoon and bring the scores level.
After letting a 24-point lead slip, it was sink or swim for the Jets and just when the Eagles when looked like taking the lead, the Jets found their spark.
Some great metres from Isaac Mumberton inside his own 20 gave the Jets good field position and they were soon within try scoring range.
About 15 metres out from the line, the Jets spread the ball, which went through several sets of hands before Arthur Scott scored out wide to put them back in the lead.
The Jets managed to stay calm in the last few minutes and when taking a field goal might have seemed a sensible option, Sean Deaves instead put in a grubber and after some air swings from both sides, Isaac Mumberton eventually pounced on it to put the game beyond doubt.
With the full time bell sounding just after the conversion, the Eagles didn’t get a chance for a reply and the game ended at 42-30.
Hat-trick hero Sean Deaves was a standout for the Jets along with Matt Rouen, Nathan Falzon and Isaac Mumberton.
Matt Carroll was outstanding for the Eagles and had some great support from Sean Jenkins and Nathan Walsh, but it wasn’t quite enough to complete a comeback.