BURLEIGH
HEADS BEARS 38
Tries:
Reggie Cressbrook, Aaron Douglas,
Shane O'Flanagan, Chris Horsfall, Dean Allen, David
Parker
Goals: Reggie Cressbrook 6, David Parker
Team: 1. Reggie Cressbrook,
2. David Parker, 3. Darren Anderson, 4. Nick Shaw, 5.
Aaron Douglas, 6. Chris Horsfall, 7. Grant Adamson (c), 8. Ian Graham, 9. Blair Tonkin , 10. Shane
O'Flanagan, 11. Justin Bryant, 12. Hamish Smith, 13.
Dean Allen. Int: 14. Ali Brown, 15. Bill Dunn, 16.
Tony Gray, 17. Jim Lenihan. Coach:
Rick Stone.
defeated NORTHERN
SUBURBS DEVILS 12
Tries: Steven Bell, Matt Dux
Goals: Marty
Turner 2
Team: 1. Ben Cameron, 2. Marty Turner, 3. Ashley
Dudson, 4. Matt Dux, 9. Fifita Moala, 6.
Steven Bell, 7. Kevin Carmichael (c),
8. Wayne Evans, 16. Dallas Johnson, 10.
Mark Shillington, 11. John Paul Cherry, 17. Liam Tallon,
13. Chris Essex. Int:
14. Nicholas Henderson, 15. Jason Wrigley, 5. Ryan
Doherty,
12. Daniel Hill. Coach:
Mark Murray
Venue: Pizzey Park
Date: Saturday 29 July
Referee: Rob Alexander
Half-time: Burleigh 14-6
Written By: Matthew Lyne
The Burleigh Bears
still remain in the hunt for back-to-back premierships
following a win over Norths in the Minor Semi-final
match at Pizzey Park. The Bears were coming off
a heavy loss to Toowoomba and had to lift a cog if
they were going to get past Norths. The Devils
were struggling with injuries and the loss of players
to Melbourne and the bounce of the ball did not go
their way on the day.
The home side got off to a slow start and were under
siege in the first 10 minutes. The Devils had
the chance to get off to good start but couldn't get
over the line and through Burleigh's defensive line.
Reggie Cressbrook made
a break and threw a long pass which was knocked out by
the Burleigh players. However, the Bears won the
scrum against the feed and Norths found themselves
under pressure. They kept the ball alive and
Cressbrook made for his earlier blunder by diving over
the line from dummy half. The Burleigh fullback
had no trouble converting his own try and the home
side led 6-0.
Norths were denied a
fair try, moments later, when a Steve Bell pass was
called forward. Bell put a pass to Andrew Hill who
went over the try line but referee Rob Alexander called
it back. He had the opportunity to go to the
video referee but didn't and made the wrong decision.
Burleigh were awarded a
penalty after Alexander ruled that Norths were offside
in the 25th minute. Reggie Cressbrook put the
conversion over and extended his team's lead to 8-0.
The Devils were close to conceding another try and,
despite making three straight errors of their own half
(two of whom were made by experienced players in Mark
Shillington and Kevin Carmichael), got away with a
goal.
The Devils finally got
on the board and the two halves were instrumental of
their first try of the day. Kevin Carmichael put
five-eighth Steven Bell under the posts and Marty
Turner had no trouble in adding the extras to put
Norths 2 points behind Burleigh. The Bears, 8-6.
Norths, minutes later,
had an ample opportunity to put themselves in front
but bombed a certain try. They received a
penalty and, although the kick was a shocker, it still
found touch after it had bounced through two Burleigh
players. John Paul Cherry, then, made a break
and should have passed it but he decided to press
forward. Cherry was tackled and then Fifita Moala had
a go at the line. The Devils had an 4-on-2
overlap out wide and had either player realised this,
they would have scored. Unfortunately, Ashley
Dudson coughed up the ball on the next play and a try
was crucified. And things got worse for Norths
when Burleigh scored right on fulltime.
Grant Adamson took
advance of winger Aaron Douglas' speed and slotted
through a perfectly weighted chip kick into Norths' in goal
area. Douglas, as he has does done several times
before, sprinted and won the race for the ball by
diving on it and gave Burleigh a 8 point lead at the
break. The Devils did not see it coming and paid
dearly for that mistake. The Bears went up 14-6
at the break and were in a good position of taking out
the match.
The Devils got tremendously
close in the opening minutes of the second half when
Fifita Moala was ruled to be held up over the line.
Alexander chose not to go the video ref and replays
were not conclusive enough to show that Moala had
forced the ball down. They, again, were left to rue a
missed opportunity when Chris Essex lost the ball over
the line in the 54th minute of the match.
A Grant Adamson 40-20 kick put Burleigh in good
position to extend their lead. Shane O'Flanagan
looked to have got over the line but was ruled to be
held up by the video referee. Following the
scrum feed, Shane brushed
off a few Norths' defenders to go over the line again.
This time it was a legitimate try and the big forward
showed his delight at scoring the 4 pointer.
Cressbrook converted the try and the Bears had built
up a composing lead.
However, Norths struck back within minutes when Matt
Dux caught a bomb over Burleigh's line and placed the
ball down. It was a fantastic catch by Dux and
equally a magnificent high kick from Carmichael which
resulted in the try. Turner added the extras and
the Devils still had a glimmer of hope of avoiding
elimination. Burleigh up 20-12.
But it was not to be
Norths day. Burleigh virtually wrapped up the
game when Chris Horsfall ran onto a Bill Dunn pass and
sliced through some feeble defence by their
opposition, placing the football over the line.
Reggie Cressbrook kicked the conversion and the Bears
had an unassailable 14 point lead with about 10
minutes to go on the clock.
With the game all
sealed up, the home side did not relent in driving
home the victory on their now depleted opposition. Lock Dean
Allen ran over for a try in the 75th minute and,
following a second 40-20 Adamson kick, David Parker
finished off a very good team try. The Bears ended up
winning the game by the score line of 38-12 and now
face Easts in next weeks' elimination semi-final.
|
