JAMBEROO Superoos have scored back-to-back wins for the first time this season and moved into fourth spot, but their 36-12 win over Albion Park-Oak Flats at Centenary Field might have come at a cost after they lost their classy five-eighth Mark Asquith with a knee injury during the first half.
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In an at-times firey encounter, both sides played the majority of the game with 12 men after Eagles second-rower Sean Jenkins and Jamberoo centre Josh Champion were both sent off following a nasty brawl in the first half.
The Superoos got a great start when centre Tim Small found fullback Matt Coelho backing up to score in just the fourth minute, but the ugly brawl, which started with some push-and-shove and escalated into all-out warfare when players rushed in and referee Adam Cooper, in his first grade debut, waved Jenkins and Champion from the field.
Jamberoo went further ahead in the 25th minute when hooker Josh Saunders powered over from dummy-half, and the visitors looked comfortable, leading 10-nil.
Asquith’s injury took the gloss off the scoreline and the Eagles hit back in style when winger Kyle Zimmermann latched on to a superb cut-out pass from Dean Gray to open their account.
But their joy was short-lived when Jamberoo half Jono Dallas took advantage of a short-handed Eagles pack when he darted away from a scrum win and raced 50 metres to score under the posts to give his side a 16-4 half-time lead.
Jamberoo came out on fire after the break and a good run by lock James Gilmore gave winger Ben Barnard a free passage to the line and when big Gavin Jarrett powered over under the posts eight minutes later to give the Superoos a 28-4 lead, the writing was on the wall for the Eagles.
But they never gave up and replacement centre Blake Jones, fresh from a hat-trick in reserve grade, sent Harley Ryan over and shortly afterwards youngster Tyrone Sibraa spinted in to score, but Matt Carroll, just back from a five-week honeymoon, was off target with the boot and his side still trailed 28-12.
But in the end the Jamberoo side regained their shape and second-rower Robbie Noble raced into a huge gap, before the impressive younger Gilmore brother capped a great game when he backed up to race 50 metres to score in the corner to round out the scoring.
James Gilmore, who is relishing his new role at lock, Simon Maslanka, props Jarrett and Adam Vanzanten and Dallas were best for the visitors, while Dean Gray, Blake Jones, Harley Ryan and Chris Rowles never stopped trying for the Eagles.