THE Warilla-Lake South Gorillas secured their spot in the 2020 Group Seven final series with a come from behind 40-18 victory against the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles.
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The visitors at Centenary Field opened the scoring when hooker Sam Hooper hit prop Guy Rosewarn with a sharp pass before the latter powered his way through three would-be tacklers.
Half Blair Grant added the extras and ti was 6-nil after three minutes.
This sparked the Eagles into action, with the hosts scoring the match's next three tries.
Firstly Rodney Coates touched down just to the right of the uprights in the 11th minute, before Aidan Menzies reached out with his left arm, to score in the exact come position eight minutes later.
A cut-out pass by five-eighth Menzies, in the 25th minute, then sent Chad Harrison over in the right corner.
Centre Blake Jones converted all three tries and it was 18-6.
Just when it appeared the hosts were about to score their fourth, Dallas Harrison's pass was intercepted by Kye Deane, who sprinted 55 metres to score.
Grant converted to reduce the deficit to six - which is how it remained until half-time.
Five minutes after the break, the Gorillas drew level when dynamic rake Hooper darted over from dummy-half.
Grant's continued perfect day with the boot levelled up the scores.
The visitors regained the lead four minutes later when a sleight of hand by former Eagle Jake Brisbane put back-rower Duke Grant over.
Trialling by 10, following a try to Blair Grant, the Eagles blew a golden chance to reduce the margin in the 62nd minute.
After the ball was spread to the left, Zac Daniel was adjudged to go into touch before scoring, thanks to strong cover defence by Curtis Stone.
That near-miss was made worse the very next set when the Gorillas scored their sixth.
Following a break by dangerous fullback Justin Jones, Hooper found a rampaging Rosewarn, who planted it down for his second of the afternoon.
Grant's boot made it 34-18 with 15 to play.
The match was iced in the 77th minute when a Hooper kick was dropped by Tom Warner into the hands of Blair Grant, who ran around and scored his second four-pointer.
The skipper converted his own try, which made it 40-18 at full-time.
The win secured the Gorillas third spot on the ladder, meaning they will travel to Kevin Walsh Oval on Saturday to face Jamberoo in the major semi-final.
While the Eagles finish the 2020 season in eighth with a 2-8 record.
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