1st Grade
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The Shoalhaven Ex Servicemen’s Shoals’ 1st grade team encountered a fast moving Viking’s side in their away game in Wollongong on Saturday.
Vikings always produce quality teams and are always hard to beat on their home ground. Vikings roared into action from the opening bell and had 10 points on the board by the 10 minute mark. Shoals saw little of the ball in this first half as Vikings powered away to a 36 points to nil lead at the break. They scored five good tries to establish a winning lead. The second half was a more even game with Shoals posting the first two tries and racking up 14 points but Vikings hit back late with two tries of their own to post a 50 points to 14 victory.
Shoals again had a changed side but unlike last week against Kiama it took time for the team to settle into stride. Being deprived of possession for much of the first half did not help the situation. Shoals certainly had plenty of tackling practice with Rhys Williams, Ross Dunlop and Matt Spresser getting into the thick of it. Shoals backs had a few good gallops but Vikings defence proved as strong as its attacking prowess.
Shoals finally began to make inroads into the game in the seventh minute of the second half. Mark Brandon, who had been closely marked up to this point, found space out wide on the eastern flank, and used his abundant pace to race into the open and when tackled passed the ball to Jimmy Hendrix who flew over for a fine try.
Shoals gained strength from the try and roared into action from the restart. Their forwards took play close to Viking’s line and tried to power their way over. Vikings held firm and forced a turnover and booted play deep up field. Back came Shoals with determined play and gathered up a couple of penalties. After another series of attacking play, which showed off the skills of Sam Watts and Duncan Maddinson, prop Gerald Browne stormed his way over for a well-engineered try. The conversion gave the team 14 points for the match. Vikings finished the game strongly and hammered in the nail by scoring two converted tries of their own to reach the half century of points.
Shoals finally return home to Rugby Park next Saturday for their match against a surging Bowral Club which should produce spectacular fast, open rugby. Shoals play away to Avondale the following Saturday. They return to Rugby Park for the June long week-end 50th Anniversary celebrations with games against Campbelltown on Saturday, June 9.
2nd Grade
The WorkforceXS/Soilco Shoals’ 2nd Grade team played a fine game against a strong Vikings team. They were unlucky to lose the game in the last few moments after leading for much of the game. It was an even tussle in the first half with Shoals’ outstanding player, Blake Lamond, breaking through a tight defence at the 23 minute mark to post his team’s first try. Matt Lane knocked over the conversion to give his side a 7 point lead. Shoals went in for their second try from the restart of play and with Lane again on target they went to 14 points. Vikings hit back with two converted tries of their own to level the score at 14 points each by the half time break.
The second half was a hard, tight game. Shoals burly and speedy centre, Graham Porter, used his strength to break through several tacklers to race in for a try at the 17 minute mark of the second half. Shoals now had the lead by 21 points to 14 and looked to be on their way to the win. However Vikings came back strongly and scored an unconverted try with just a few minutes left on the clock. This saw them trailing by 2 points.
To the joy of their many home supporters Vikings pulled out all stops a scored the winning try almost on the bell to snatch the win away from Shoals by 26 points to 21 points. .
3rd Grade
Shoals are starting to look like a premiership hope again after posting two good wins on the trot winning, this match by 17 points to 5 points. In a low scoring game, Shoals never looked like being headed after they took a 10 points to nil lead into half time. They scored a good backline try midway through the second half which Matt Lane converted from out wide to increase their lead to 17 points to nil. Vikings scored a redeeming try near full time but the match had been well won by Shoals at that point.