Dolphins chalk up 350 wins with gritty victory over Pride

In a first half riddled with errors, maintaining possession became the number one priority for both sides, as the Dolphins and Pride struggled to complete their sets. 

With the Dolphins completing only 14 of their 21 sets, the Pride couldn't do much better in the opening 40, completing only 16 from their 22 sets.

The high error rate saw the game struggle to get into any rhythm, and the first half only points came from a kick on the last play of the half from the home side in the 39th minute.

A pinpoint kick from halfback Bryce Donovan put Pride winger Shawn Bowen under all sorts of pressure, and his opposite number, Josh Beehag was able to pick up the scraps – giving his side a narrow 4-0 lead heading into the sheds.

The Dolphins started the second half in the best possible fashion, when former Queensland Reds player Izaia Perese set up a remarkable try for halfback Corey Paix in the 42nd minute.

Perese broke through a handful of defenders and began motoring down the sideline, before throwing a miraculous flick pass back on the inside to his winger Justice Utatao.

He then threw a great pass of his own in traffic to find the ever reliant Paix, pushing up in support.

Donovan knocked over his first conversion of the afternoon to make it 10-0.

Redcliffe continued to extend their lead in the second half, when elusive fullback Trai Fuller ducked and weaved his way over in the 51st minute, with Donovan adding the extras.

Fuller was yet again in the thick of the action when he burst through some lazy defenders, before finding his halfback Paix pushing up in support once again to make it 20-0 in the 54th minute.

In what was a frantic few minutes, the Pride then scored their first points of the afternoon courtesy of an intercept try to Jack Campagnolo against the run of play in the 57th minute.

As momentum began to swing in the Pride’s favour, it was some smart thinking from forward David Murphy, which saw a loose pass find its way to 20-year old hooker Quinlyn Cannon to score on debut in the 66th minute.

Some resilient Dolphins defence held off the fast-finishing Northern outfit in the final exchanges, to give them a much-needed win to keep them in touch with the top eight.

Powerful forward Jamil Hopoate finished with the Hastings Deering man of the match honours thanks to yet another barnstorming performance for the Dolphins.

Their next encounter will be against the ladder-leading Sunshine Coast Falcons.

The Pride will be looking to bounce back against the PNG Hunters at home after the representative round bye.