The Ben Campbell Building Group Seagulls had to work hard to arrest a four-game losing run with a 24-22 victory over a Mackay Cutters side that defied their last-place position on the ladder.
The Seagulls could not have had a better start with a try to centre Talor Waters in the first minute, yet it was not until the final whistle that they felt safe at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
The Gulls lost influential five-eighth Lindon McGrady with a shoulder injury after 33 minutes, which meant hooker Eli Levido switched to the halves and Jack Cook took over at dummy-half. That shuffled added merit to the performance.
With great impetus off the bench from Tristan Lumley, who returned from injury, Cook, Kirk Murphy and Tevita Folau, the Seagulls just did enough to get the much-needed win and stay in the hunt for a finals spot.
“We’ll have to improve against Easts Tigers next week, who are two points above us on the ladder, but the win will restore some confidence within the team,” said coach Ben Woolf.
“Even though they are on the bottom of the ladder they’re a pretty fair side, the Cutters, especially with Lachlan Coote at fullback.
“It wasn’t one of our best performances but we showed a lot of spirit to hang in there and it was good to have Bryce Cartwright and Tristan Lumley back from injury with four rounds to go.” Hopefully, forward mainstay Ryan Simpkins will be back next weekend.
The Tigers are in fifth spot with the Seagulls one of six teams within two points but a negative for-and-against of 151 means that, realistically, the Gulls would have to win three of the last four matches to make the six-team finals. They play PNG Hunters (home), Ipswich Jets (away) and Northern Pride (away) to finish the season.
Walters’ early try came from a high kick from McGrady to the right-hand corner. His second try, after the Cutters had posted two of their own, was a 60-metre intercept effort after he scooped up a bouncing loose ball.
Winger Ryland Jacobs, one of the team’s best, scored in between after McGrady ran the ball on the last tackle and gave him some space on the flank. Kane Elgey converted in McGrady’s absence to give the Gullies an 18-14 half-time lead.
The Seagulls were the first to strike in the second half when second-rower Lamar Liolevave crossed after following an Elgey grubber kick to make it 24-12 with Elgey’s conversion.
But the Cutters would not stop coming at the Gulls and tries to Brenden Treston and Yamba Bowie narrowed the score to 24-22 with nine minutes remaining. The Cutters had scored five tries to four and the Gulls were fortunate their goalkicking was astray.
It took a desperate scrambling tackle by Jacobs and Kody Parsons, which put Cutters winger Bowie into touch just short of the line, to finally secure the two points.
Elgey was more slick and dominant than he had been in the previous fortnight, fullback Ali Grant returned from injury and was excellent, Leilani Latu gave the pack much needed size and aggression and Cartwright, in his second game for the Gulls, involved himself and looked stronger as the game progressed.
PICTURED: Talor Walters on the way to the tryline. Photo: James Owen.
FOR FULL MATCH DETAILS AND TEAM LISTS
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 24 (Talor Walters 2, Ryland Jacobs, Lamar Manuel-Liolevave tries; Lindon McGrady 2, Kane Elgey 2 goals) def MACKAY CUTTERS 22 (Nicho Hynes, Nathan Saumalu, Blake Atherton, Brenden Treston, Yamba Bowie tries; Nicho Hynes goal) at Piggabeen Sports Complex.
Related Posts
