The Magpies pushed their winning streak to three in a row with a close 28-24 win over the Norther Pride at Barlow Park yesterday.
The locals put on a great attacking performance with back-to-back tries late in the game to Benjamin Hampton and Javid Bowen, but the Magpies proved too strong having done most of their good work earlier in the game.
“We didn’t start great. Pride were nice and powerful, they got some speed through the ruck but we rectified it,” Magpies coach Jon Buchanan said.
“With good a bit of momentum, we shifted the speed of the game. We finished really strong.”
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The Pride began the game on a high with a try after just three minutes to Bowen, but the Magpies were soon able to reply with two tries of their own to halfback Sam Scarlett.
The Pride then gave away a penalty and Jamayne Isaako slotted the chance and the Magpies went to the sheds leading 14-6.
“We started off a bit shaky. But in those opening minutes I thought we were pretty composed and showed good quality in defence. We hung in there and were pretty tough,” Buchanan said.
“Sam has been really good the last few weeks coming back from injury. When he runs the footy he is always a threat.”
The determined Pride continued to cause a headache for the visitors in the second half, but the Magpies had answers for everything the NQ side could produce.
“I thought we controlled the game really well especially through the middle and in the last 10-12 minutes we didn’t have a lot of ball but we hung in there,” Buchanan said.
The Magpies fullback Isaako was near to perfect with the boot, only missing one conversion shot, but landing all three penalty goal attempts.
“Jamayne has been exceptional all year and I think he is the best in the comp. His goal kicking is near to perfect and he didn’t start kicking for us until Round 4,” Buchanan said.
Isaako is currently fourth on the leading point scorers table with 164.
The Magpies will be looking to keep their winning momentum going as the finals edge closer when they host the Easts Tigers at Davies Park next week in the Channel 9 TV game.
“It’s always a physical game against them. We will need to control the ball and get through the sets,” Buchanan said.
“We don’t want to limp into finals, but (rather) go in with momentum.”
See the full scoring details and final team line-ups for this game via QRL Live
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 28 (Sam Scarlett 2, Simione Fatafehi, Cameron Booth tries; Jamayne Isaako 6 goals) def NORTHERN PRIDE 24 (Javid Bowen 2, Gideon Gela-Mosby, Benjamin Hampton tries; Jordan Biondi-Odo 4 goals) at Barlow Park.
