THE Warilla-Lake South Gorillas have returned to the winner’s circle, after a gutsy win against the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles at Centenary Field.
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The match’s scoring in Sunday’s fiery clash started when Gorillas second rower Kyle Stone, following a contentious penalty, got outside his opposite number and slammed it down.
Five-eighth Blair Grant converted from out wide, making it 6-nil after 12 minutes.
The visitors lead was doubled soon after, when they again attack the left edge defence of the Eagles.
After the ball was shifted from left to right, Gorillas captain/coach Aaron Henry used his strength to power over and get the ball down, despite three defenders hanging off him.
Grant missed from the same spot as his first conversion, leaving it at 10-nil after 25.
Things got worse for the hosts in the 31st minute when forward Jack Scurr was sin-binned for an infringement in the ruck.
Despite being a man down, the Eagles looked destined to score next but a lose carry from Jamie Carney ended that attacking raid.
Off the next next, the Gorillas went the length of the field to score, capped off by a Hans Schuster grubber kick, which was pounced on by centre Tyson Brown.
Grant landed his third kick, again from the same spot, making it 16-nil, which is how it remained until half-time.
Whatever Eagles coach Gary Breakspear said to his troops at the break seemed to work, as the hosts came out in the second half on fire.
They had their first try after just four minutes, following back to back penalties against Warilla’s Jake Davidson.
George Campbell used his quick hands to put Scurr over to score, before Jake Brisbane converted for 16-6.
The comeback was well and truly on when Carney broke through the line off the kick-off, putting the Eagles on the front foot.
At the end of that set, a Campbell bomb was gathered by Jack Walsh, who offloaded to Jake Williams, who just got the ball down in the left hand corner.
Following the try, there was some push and shove between the two rival teams, resulting in Gorillas’ Jordan Harty and Eagles’ Jarrod King both being given 10 minutes in the bin.
After their dismissals, Brisbane converted from the sideline and the Eagles were flying – with it being 16-12.
It wasn’t long before the Eagles had their third try, following back to back 40/20 kicks by Brisbane.
Walsh was again involved for the hosts, this time getting a pass away to Paul Bell to score in the left hand corner.
Brisbane failed in his conversion attempt, leaving the scores tied at 16-all.
But the Eagles momentum was halted in the 61st minute when, following a strong Chad Lisch run, Schuster put prop Damien Paulissen over from close range.
Grant converted for a six point lead.
This try opened the flood gates for the visitors, as winger Sam Hooper acrobatically scored in the corner five minutes later.
Grant’s sideline conversion made it 28-16 with 14 minutes to play.
The game was iced in the final 10 minutes when Paulissen scored his second before Grant stepped his way over to score – with both tries being converted by the latter, to make it 40-16 at full-time.
In the win, which ends a two-game losing streak, the Gorillas were led by Henry, Stone, Grant and Mark Walsh, while Brisbane, Carney, Campbell and Walsh did all they could for the Eagles.