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FORCE WIN AT HOME - AGAIN!
The Western Force put on an impressive display of rugby to demolish a miserable Reds team 38 points to 3 to take their second consecutive home win and a 4 try bonus point.
An early penalty goal and a rare penalty try against Hynes for a deliberate knockdown saw the Force take an early lead 10 - 0 and earned Hynes 10 minutes in the bin.
With Hynes on the bench, a couple scoring opportunities unfortunately go astray with Pocock being stripped of the ball on the line, and Cross spilling the pill a few minutes later.
Hynes comes back after his 10 in the bin and the Reds get straight on to the attack and soon put their only points for the night on the board with a Walker penalty (IRB obviously have a new edict on lineouts - 3 penalties for closing the gap??)
It wasn't long till the Force were back on the attack with O'Young starting and finishing a play to score, with Sheps easily adding the extras.
The touchie came in for a bit of a chinwag with referee Bowden about Hynes spear tackle on Drew Mitchell - second card for Hynes gets him a red and the bin for the night, see ya next year mate.
Sheps continued on his return to form with a penalty just before the break giving the Force an 18-3 lead at half time.
The bloodbath continued in the second half, with 2 more penalties - the second bring a few "boo's" from some AFL supporters in the crowd who thought 5 pointers were the way to go. (they obvioulsy don't remember the Force losing to the Reds in QLD last year from the same half time score)
24 - 3 with about 15 minutes to go and the crowd are feeling pretty happy. Eddie Jones obviously isn't as he takes his place on the bench next to Hynes - a sign of things to come?
Then the murmur starts in the crowd "bonus point" ... "bonus point" and the boys hear it too...
5 minutes to go and Sheps receives great ball from Mitchell to score out wide, and with a sure boot adds the extras. 31 - 3.
3 minutes later the bonus point try is on as Digby catches a cross field kick in the in goal area, only to get tackled in the air whilst the touchie was doing up his shoe laces. He gets his revenge minutes later when Sheps and Brown cleared the way for him to dot one down under the posts. Another Sheps conversion, 4 trys and a bonus point thank very much Force 38 -def- 3 Reds
It's good to be a Force supporter
Special mention to David "Bam-Bam" Pocock for man of the match, the kid was in their faces at the breakdown all night. All the loosies had a good night in my book - Love ya work! The Dorf reminded us why he was the starting 10 last year - and Chris O'Young put in a solid 80 minute game. And Sheps - you're a rock mate.
Western Force 38
Tries: O'Young, Shepherd, Ioane, Penalty try
Conversions: Shepherd 3
Penalties: Shepherd 4
Reds 3
Penalties: Walker