FULLTIME SCORE: Saints 24 - Canberra 18
Match Conditions: 19 degrees C. Light Southerly. No
rain but moist ground.
Attendance: 9,812
POST MATCH SUMMARY:
In a match of 2 halves Saints played
well enough to defeat Canberra
by 24 - 18 today at the SFS.
It was a top effort from the
Dragons who destroyed the Raiders in the opening 20 minutes, running away
to a match winning score of 18-4 and posting a lead of 18 -10 at
half time.
The 2nd half saw the Dragons
play 'patient' football and Canberra made a game of it.
It came down to the last few
minutes and although Saints led all the way, we only won in the final moments
of the match!
MATCH REPORT:
Saints started the match in sparkling form. After just
7 minutes and with heaps of possession, Anthony Mundine, standing in the
centres, took a Shaun Timmins pass and ran 65 metres to scored under the
uprights. Score Saints 6-0.
At the 14 minute mark and just 8 metres out from the
Canberra line, Darren Treacy accepts an outside ball from Trent Barrett
who originally feigned to pass inside throwing the defence into confusion.
This was a soft try. Bartrim kicks conversion No.2. Score Saints 12-0.
5 minutes later, Brandon Costin (aka Pearson) scores
for Canberra off a kick which almost goes dead but is allowed to score
thanks to an ordinary effort from Luke Patten who seriously misjudged the
situation. Use the boot , Luke! The conversion attempt hits the posts.
Score Saints 12-4.
In the 27th minute, Timmins steps around the defence
from 8 metres out and scores under the cross bar. Vid ref is called to
check if Blacklock impeded the defence which is nonsense. The try is good
and Saints go further ahead. Score Saints 18-4.
In the 29th and 30th minutes, Nathan Blacklock saves
a try and gets the ball back into the field of play and is on hand to at
the other end of the field only to bomb a certain try when he knocks
on. Tingha's inconsistency this year is becoming a worry. Perhaps a stint
in 1st division will set things right?
Saints go to sleep on the last tackle before half time
and Canberra score off a grubber kick after some desperate Dragons defence
goes without reward.
HALF TIME SCORE: Saints 18 - Canberra 10
The main feature of the first half was Saints' kicking
game. Grubbers into the in-goal from Barrett, Brown and Mundine really
pinned Canberra down. All the forwards were putting in. Darren Treacy and
Wayne Bartrim were tremendous and Shaun Timmins was ripping Canberra to
shreds in the centres. Unfortunately, the team dropped off the pace in
the 2nd half and actually seemed to be playing a waiting game. Canberra
on the other hand lifted their intensity and were making a game of it with
Jason Croker causing a few problems. However, the biggest downer was listening
to Ray Warren consistently referring to Mark Gasnier as 'Young Gasnier'
thereby constantly reminding everyone of the bloke's heritage. Time
to turn down the TV and turn up the radio...
Barto kicked a penalty goal in the 55th minute to keep
Saints in control but things aren't looking rosy with Canberra making the
breaks and getting more of the ball.
Score Saints 20 - 10.
In the 57th minute Canberra put up a bomb and Blacklock
is beaten to the ball by Jensen.
All 3 Canberra tries come from kicks.
Score Saints 20 - 16.
The match became fairly uneventful over the next 15
minutes and I guess we can be thankful that Canberra could only manage
a penalty goal in the 67th minute. Saints had their chances to cross but
stopped offering adequate support to each other and had a try disallowed
in the 69th minute. Saints' kicking game which was so good in the 1st half
had deteriorated considerably with little field advantage being gained
and the kick offs only going for 20 - 30 metres. Canberra were beginning
to look as if they might snatch a victory which seemed unlikely in the
first half. Score Saints 20 - 18
In the 72nd minute Saints finally put in a deep kick
into Canberra's territory and Canberra's Jensen knocks on while trying
to pick up the ball. Unfortunately for Jensen, this is the turning point
of the match. With Canberra's defence unable to mark up, Timmins' scores
his 2nd try out wide 1 minute later taking full advantage of an overlap.
The kick from Barto misses.
This is the only Saints try which was scored out wide.
All other 4 pointers were scored under the posts and all of Saints tries
were scored through the hands.
Score Saints 24 - 18
Unbelievably and with only 45 seconds to go, the ref
gets the tackle count wrong and awards a hand-over to Canberra as Saints
get only 5 tackles. From 40 metres out, Canberra throw everything at Saints
and in the dying moments and Daley puts a well placed kick into the Saints
in-goal. Patten and Gasnier come to the rescue and Gasnier uses the boot!
The ball goes dead and Saints win by 6.
FULL TIME SCORE: SAINTS
24 - CANBERRA 18
Saints Best
3-Timmins, 2-Bartrim, 1-Treacy
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