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    • Away vs Burnside

    Round 2

    2nd July 2011 - 2.45

    Venue : Burnside Park

    Result : 15 - 19

    Match Report

    Could NBC put together another strong performance on a cold Burnside Park?

    At Burnside Park: Burnside 19 (Kieran Lindsay try; Mitchell Neutze conv, 3 pen, dg) beat New Brighton 15 (Misi Selave, Jerry Meafou tries; David Cattermole conv, pen). HT: 13-7. Referee: James Munro. Sinbin: Jerry Meafou (New Brighton).

    A more committed Burnside upset front-runner New Brighton and relieved it of the DCL Shield in a scrappy, somewhat ugly, game. New Brighton led early after a Kieran Black bust down the left flank led to a try for wing Misi Selave which David Cattermole converted from wide out and it seemed as if the seasiders were continuing from where they left off from last week with their demolition of Sydenham.

    However, it was not to be. The home team showed more grit and determination when it mattered most, especially on defence, bustling New Brighton into wrong options and silly errors that proved costly, turning the ball over or conceding kickable penalties.

    Both sides were warned by the referee for repeated tackle-ball infringements and it was no surprise when New Brighton second five-eighths Jerry Meafou became the unlucky recipient of a yellow card late in the match.

    Neither team played much rugby of note in this stop-start match which had a 45min first half and a 48min second half. Some heavy tackles, poor handling, misdirected kicking and little in the way of constructive moves blighted the game with neither side showing off their capabilities.

    The goal-kicking of Burnside fullback Mitchell Neutze proved to be the difference in the end. A quickly taken drop goal in the dying seconds of the first half gave his side a somewhat flattering lead at the break, and his last successful penalty kick ricocheted off an upright and over, whereas his Brighton counterpart, Cattermole, had to watch his `poster’ bounce away.

    Neutze showed a safe pair of hands at the back, but made little progress running into the backline. First five-eighths and captain Kieran Lindsay generally kicked well and scored his team’s only try under the bar in one of Burnside’s few attacks on the Brighton line. It was a well-taken try with Lindsay spinning over in two tackles. Burnside lock Pablo Huete leapt well in the lineouts, but both sides were guilty of poor throw-ins with several going directly to the opposition. No. 8 Tom Lindsay and second five-eighths were the standout players along with Kieran Lindsay and Neutze.

    New Brighton will see this match as one that got away. Halfback Tyson Keats tried hard to engender some go-forward into the pack which struggled to make headway despite the best efforts of the loose forward trio of Black, Ryan Hooper and No. 8 Aaron Williams. The only time pressure was put on Burnside in the second half resulted in a well deserved try to Jerry Meafou. Replacement prop Sopoianaga Tikeri made several strong runs in trying to bash a path through a resilient Burnside defence.