Samford Stags made it two wins on the trot in the Rugby League Brisbane Men's Open 3 North competition, with a hard fought 38-14 win over Pine Rivers Bears played at Mathieson Park on Saturday.
Spurred on by the vocal Stags supporters who travelled away from home, it took the visitors only four minutes of play to post first points through hooker Kieran Neiland, who scurried his way over to score beside the sticks.
After a glut of dropped ball by both sides early on, Pine Rivers returned serve with a quick fire try of their own in the ninth minute to level up the score, after some great field position from halfback Robert Finlay.
The home side hit the ground running and took the lead in the 14th minute of play, crossing again in the corner coming off the end of a superb backline movement.
Stags’ dynamic fullback Callum Flynn was superb for the visitors and thoroughly deserved his runaway try in the 22nd minute when he raced away untouched to put the Stags back in front.
As far as defence goes, both sides were relentless.
The Bears' big boppers in Jesse Tagatanuu and Jordan Geary were outstanding in a losing side, whilst the Stags were best served by Dane Watson and Thomas Reiken.
Samford further increased their lead in the 27th minute catching the Bears defence napping out wide, as they began to find their mojo.
A marauding run by Samford prop Tyler Creber put the Stags in good field position that saw halfback Brendan Ward-Anning, make no mistake in sliding over beside the sticks.
The first half ended with another great Stags try, this time through the hard working second rower Reiken.
The backrower was in everything in this game and sent the visitors into the sheds with a healthy 26-10 lead when he crossed beside the sticks.
Man of the moment Reiken would again continue to haunt the home side in the second half with another great four pointer, that saw the tearaway second rower crash his way over the line.
Credit to Pine Rivers though, the home side refused to throw in the towel and began to play some attractive football of their own.
Bears fullback Edan Brewer’s superb try in the 60th minute demonstrated why he is one of the most dangerous custodians in the competition with a slashing four pointer of his own sliding in to score.
However, the Bears were perhaps the architects of their own downfall giving away silly penalties that resulted in one of their players being sent to the sin bin for dissent that was probably the catalyst of losing this match.
But take nothing away from the Stags performance who fought hard for these two competition points.
They would also have the last say in the game scoring a late try through fullback Flynn, who crossed for his double of the afternoon, rounding off what was a good old-fashioned game of park rugby league.
Pine Rivers is away to North Lakes this weekend while Samford is home to Pine Central Holy Spirit in some crucial matches in what is a tight competition.
