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    • Home vs Burnside

    Round 9

    4th June 2011 - 2.45

    Venue : Rawhiti

    Result : 44 - 17

    Match Report

    The Candystripers came down to the beach to try and get their average season back on track this week.

    NEW BRIGHTON v BURNSIDE

    At Rawhiti Domain: New Brighton 44 (Ryan Hooper, Matt Ball, Ryan Crotty, Aaron McCoy, Aaron Williams, Dayne Wipou tries; David Cattermole 4 conv, 2 pen) beat Burnside 17 (Mitch Ellis, Ben McDougal, Kieran Lindsay tries; Lindsay conv). HT: 17-0. Referee: Kane McBride.                                                                               

    Sometimes the New Brighton forwards take time to warm to the task, but as Burnside will testify that was not the case in this contest.  The home pack hoed into their work from the start, the pick-and-go testing the Burnside defence which spread laterally along the goal-line.

    The inevitable first try came after 17min from a series of forward rumbles to the line with flanker Ryan Hooper emerging with the ball from under a pile of bodies. With the forwards maintaining their structure and aggression, halfback Rhys Keith and first five-eighths Ryan Crotty took command with good options and ball distribution.

    Crotty gave a masterly display, scything through half gaps, carving off valuable ground with low, raking punts, and tackling ferociously, one such crashing front-on tackle on Ben Payne leaving the Burnside flanker prone with stars forming constellations in his eyes.

    That it was Crotty’s day was evident when he scored a try from his only mistake. He failed to find touch from a penalty, but Burnside’s attempt to run the ball back from inside its 22m ended in Crotty intercepting and dotting by the post.  That try five minutes into the second half extended Brighton’s lead to 24-0 and the game was as good as over.

    When Brighton fullback David Cattermole, who slotted his first six kicks before missing his last two, kicked his second penalty goal after 68min, the seasiders were ahead, 34-0, but Burnside showed commendable spirit in the last 12 minutes and managed three tries while conceding another two as the teams emptied their benches and the game opened up.

    Brighton’s bonus-point try was arguably the best of the nine in the match. With lock Daniel Karena to the fore, the forwards exchanged short passes with Hooper flicking the final pass for fellow flanker Aaron McCoy to provide the finishing touch.

    Veteran props Nick McMullan and Jarrod Ward were at the heart of an outstanding first-half effort by the Brighton forwards and lock Lewis Pou disrupted several Burnside lineout throws. Hooper, McCoy and No. 8 Aaron Williams formed a formidable back three.  Keith barked orders from halfback and wing Matt Ball ran elusively and was safe under the high ball.

    Burnside No. 8 Ash Parker was industrious and showed a good turn of speed to cut down Keith after he looked to break clear, hooker George Turner roamed freely and was a good link out wide, and halfback Brett Cameron was hard to stop around the fringes. The Burnside reserves all made an impact which would have given the Burnside coaches some comfort.

    MVP: Ryan Crotty (New Brighton) 3, Nick McMullan (New Brighton) 2, Aaron Williams (New Brighton) 1.

    Bob Schumacher