A STRONG second half performance from the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles helped them overcome a tough and gutsy Stingrays of Shellharbour side 24-10, in difficult weather conditions for rugby league at Flinders Field on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The battle proved to be a real arm wrestle as the hosts forced a goal line drop out and scored off the following set of six through winger Patrick Woodley, who pounced on a Jayden Sargent grubber kick which took a deflection off an Eagles defender.
Aaron Merrick landed the conversion and the Stingrays led 6-nil.
In the wet and muddy conditions the Eagles continued to cough up possession but kept themselves in the game with a tight defensive structure.
Albion Park started to show signs of improvement in their attack through Luke Patten.
Who showed spirit and inspired his team with a risky offload which touched a Stingrays player before Jayden Harris gathered possession and bolted 70 metres for the visitors' lone try of the first half.
Harris converted as the match was squared at 6-all at half-time.
The Stingrays couldn't have asked for a better start to the second period as they forced an error just ten metres out from the Eagles tryline.
Patrick Woodley secured a double for the match off the back of a simple scrum play.
Aaron Merrick missed his sideline conversion as the Stingrays led 10-6.
A few minutes later the Eagles worked their way down to enemy territory as Josh Sainsbury was too hard to stop from close range as Harris landed the conversion.
Ten minutes later, Matt Arblaster spotted a gap in the Stingrays defence on halfway and crossed the white chalk with blistering speed as Harris landed the conversion and Albion Park had the lead for the first time in the match at 18-10.
The conditions got tougher as both sides were forced to play the last quarter of the match in torrential rain.
The Eagles weren't bothered by the conditions and conjured up an expansive attacking play on halfway as Dallas Harrison scored on the eastern touchline.
Harris converted as Albion Park held on and ran out victors by 24-10.
Luke Patten, Josh Sainsbury, Jayden Harris, Jack Scurr and Matt Arblaster put their best foot forward the Eagles while Jayden Sargent, Will Homer, Liam Quinn, Alphose Pyne and Patrick Woodley were the standouts for the Stingrays.
