THE Nowra-Bomaderry Jets have finished their 2017 home campaign on a high note on Sunday, defeating the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles 46-12, at the Bomaderry Sporting Complex.
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The Jets, who will now enjoy the bye before a trip to the Berry Showground in the final round, led from start to finish, to chalk up their seventh win for the season.
The hosts opened their account in the seventh minute, when Steve Brandon grubbered the ball through, for it to be toed forward by winger Kieran Brandon, before eventually being placed down by centre Tyson Simpson.
Mark Brandon nailed the kick for 6-nil.
This sprung the visitors into action, who looked destined to score when Scott Austin put fullback Paul Bell into a hole – but while attempting to reach over the score, the latter knocked on, thanks to pressure from his opposite number Mark Brandon.
The very next set, the Jets were unlucky not to extend their lead when forward Ryan James kicked for himself and while attempting to regathered the ball after it hit the post, he fumbled the ball over the line.
But this didn’t dampen the Jets spirit, who finally had their second after 23 minutes.
Forward Santino Battagliolo was rewarded for his strong start to the match, breaking the line and running 40m metres to score under the posts, with no fullback at home.
Brandon converted for 12-nil.
Seven minutes later, the Jets had their third, when James burst through to create a two on one, before putting Simpson into space for his second try of the afternoon.
Mark had his kicking boots on, nailing it from the right touchline for 18-nil.
In the shadows of half-time, Steve Brandon appeared destined to add the Jets’ fourth, after running 90 metres but he was brought into touch by a courageous tackle by Blake Jones, to keep it at 18-nil at the break.
Eagles coach Adam Bezzina wouldn’t have been pleased after the resumption, with his team conceding points on the first set of six of the second half.
Captain/coach Dwyane Connors burst through the line before Battagliolo backed up on the inside to score his second of the match.
Brandon added the extras for 24-nil.
The Jets dominance continued in the second half, when Connors, who set up the previous try, got his name on the scoreboard.
On the back of a 50m Mark Brandon kick return, Connors muscled his way across the line before slamming it down with one hand.
Brandon landed his fifth kick of the day for 30-nil.
With less than 20 minutes remaining, the Eagles finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a strong run by centre Jones, who got outside his opposite number.
Hooker Aaron Merrick converted for 30-6 with just under a quarter of the game remaining.
But this joy was short lived, as Kieran and Mark Brandon both scored four-pointers.
Kieran easily scored, after a perfectly weighted kick by his brother Steve, before the other brother Mark chased down a Shane Dickerson kick off the scrum and ran 60m to score under the sticks.
Mark could only convert one of the two tries, as the lead was 40-6 with less than 10 to go.
In the dying stages, the Eagles got a consolation try through hard-working forward Josh Sainsbury before the game was iced by Kieran Brandon diving over from dummy-half.
Both tries were converted for a 46-12 full-time scoreline.
In the win, James and Steve Brandon were dangerous all day, as were two-try hereoes Simpson, Kieran Brandon, Battagliolo , while the Eagles were best served by Sainsbury, Jack Scurr, Jones and Merrick.