AGGRESSIVE PALMYRA END SOAKS' DREAM RUN
Palmyra's brilliantly resurgent season was back on track with a cliffhanger 35-32 win over Associates at Allen Park today in the Rugby WA club competition, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
Soaks’ first defeat of the season was built on a dreadful first half of errors and misjudgements in the face of an aggressive, confrontational Palmyra team determined to atone for their last gasp loss to Cottesloe last week.
Paly led 28-3 during the first half but Associates came back with a stronger second half and patiently clawed back the margin, coming within three points in the dying minutes.
A Soaks blunder opened the scoring in the third minute of the match, a horribly misjudged chip kick going straight to Palmyra centre Tajhon Mailata and he sprinted 30 metres to score out wide untouched. Flyhalf Quintyn Austin converted from the sideline and the visitors went 7-0 up.
A second error almost gave Paly another runaway try a minute later but the attack was stopped just short of the line. Palmyra were running hot and hammered Soaks' line, prop Hamiora Tioke smashing through for a try beside the posts after ten minutes. Austin did the honours and Paly were making all the play at 14-0.
Palmyra kept coming and the points followed, inside centre Kona Feaunati charging through for a try beside the posts after 14 minutes, Austin's conversion upping Paly's score over a shell-shocked Soaks to 21-0.
Soaks finally found a little possession and continuity, kicking in behind Palmyra to advance down the field but incomprehensibly opted for a penalty goal to prop Damien Elton after 23 minutes when Palmyra were ruled offside in defence of their line.
Another Associates foolish pass minutes later came perilously close to conceding a try when Feaunati sprinted down the sideline and almost scored in the corner, and wing Leka Lolohea would have scored in the other corner on a simple overlap but he knocked on with the goal line wide open.
The Soaks mistakes also kept coming and from a stray long pass after 35 minutes, athletic Palmyra lock Kiti Fuluna intercepted and loped 20 metres to score under the bar. Austin converted the sitter and Palmyra's 28-3 lead looked like a match-winner.
But Palmyra paid the price for their aggressive style with hooker Steve Silva despatched to the sin bin for repeated infringements. From the resulting penalty lineout 10 metres out, the gold forwards drove over the line, flanker Tristan Winnall claiming the try. Elton converted from the sideline and a minute later, while Palmyra was distracted with a fracas on the sideline following a tackle, flanker Jason Missen scooped up the ball and shot down the blindside for a try in the same place right on half time. Elton couldn't add the extras but Soaks gained more than a glimmer of hope going into the break 28-15 in arrears.
Soaks opened the second spell with more composure and more possession, while Palmyra earned another warning for ruck infringements. After seven minutes Soaks attacked down the sideline and a quick tap caught Paly by surprise and fullback Zac Holmes grabbed the try in the corner, Soaks right back in the game at 28-20.
Palmyra's reply was immediate, attacking Soaks' line in the corner and the ball coming back from the ruck for flanker George Sutherland to charge over for a try half way to the posts. Austin converted the moderate chance and the margin was restored at 35-20.
Soaks began to seriously dominate territory and punished Paly in their 22, the visitors losing Sutherland for ten minutes after yet another ruck infringement. But even with a man massing Palmyra pilfered vital turnover ball and successfully kept the home side at bay as the game entered the final 20 minutes.
Then after 26 minutes Palmyra obstructed, and halfback Justin Turner ran wide from the scrum to slice through for the try. Elton converted the difficult goal and Soaks’ partisan crowd was baying for blood at 35-27 with 13 minutes to play.
Soaks’ forwards pounded Paly's line with multiple rucks and mauls as the clock ticked down but Palmyra broke out several times to disrupt the home side’s momentum. Soaks returned to their task and hooker Bernie Kubainski eventually plunged over for the try. Elton's conversion missed and Soaks had left a mere three minutes to snatch the game at 35-32.
Palmyra controlled possession in the final few tension-soaked minutes to hold on and end Soaks’ unbeaten run, but the home side’s two bonus points kept them on top of the competition table.
In other games, University finally gained reward for a determined season with a 17-10 win over punch-drunk premiers Kalamunda at Hartfield, injury-struck Wanneroo downed a valiant Wests-Subiaco 47-28 at Rosalie Park, Cottesloe put Nedlands back to square one with a close 23-18 win at Harvey Field and fourth-placed Perth-Bayswater defeated Rockingham 28-17 at Pat O’Hara Reserve.
Cottesloe’s win opens a sizeable gap between fifth and sixth place as the top half of the table draws clear of the rest, with Neddies and Kalamunda consigned to the bottom half, and a third of the season gone. Both teams face a mammoth task to climb back into contention in the coming weeks, while Associates, Palmyra and Cottesloe reap the rewards of ealry season success by joining Wanneroo and Perth-Bayswater at the business end of the table.
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