After trailing at half time, the North Sydney Bears produced a stunning comeback to claim victory over the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles.
The Glebe Dirty Reds recorded a convincing win over the Penrith Brothers while the Ipswich Jets let go of a 12-point lead at half time, conceding a 14-point defeat. While the Kaiviti Silktails had a bye in the Ron Massey Cup.
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears moved up to second place on the NSW Cup ladder following a 30-16 victory over the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles at HE Laybutt Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears got off to a shaky start when they conceded two tries in the first 30 minutes of the contest, finding themselves 10-0 down.
They managed to reduce the deficit to four before half time, with a try to winger Alfred Smalley and a successful conversion from Kieran Hayman.
Within the opening 20 minutes of the second half, North Sydney took their first lead of the game as Smalley secured a double, putting them 12-10 up with 20 minutes to play.
Ben Stevanovic crossed for a double of his own, scoring back-to-back tries in the 68th and 71st minute. Hayman continued his perfect kicking record for the afternoon, giving the Bears a 24-10 lead with nine minutes left.
A late consolation try to Sea Eagles centre Clayton Faulalo was responded to by North Sydney with a try to Toa Mata’afa, closing the match out with a 30-16 win to the visitors.
Glebe Dirty Reds
The Glebe Dirty Reds claimed a 38-18 triumph over the Penrith Brothers in the Ron Massey Cup at Parker St Reserve on Sunday afternoon.
The sides traded blows early, with Glebe crossing in the fifth minute and Penrith in the sixth to lock it up at six points apiece.
The Dirty Reds then launched a try-scoring barrage on their opponents, scoring three tries in five minutes with a double to Riley Travers and one to Salesi Manu, giving them a 24-6 advantage.
In the next 15 minutes, the Penrith Brothers clawed the deficit back to six points with tries to Jermaine Ma’u and Joshua Smith, but a penalty goal from Devon Makoare-Boyce kept the Dirty Reds above the margin of a converted try with an eight-point upper hand.
Despite the fightback from the Penrith Brothers, late tries to Mason McCarthy and Bilal Maarbani iced off an impressive win for Glebe as they claimed a 38-18 victory.
Ipswich Jets
In the Queensland Cup, the Ipswich Jets suffered a 40-26 defeat at the hands of the Townsville Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon at North Ipswich Reserve.
The Jets flew out of the blocks with a try to Zacchues Chong-Nee after just three minutes, giving the home side an early 4-0 lead.
The Blackhawks squared the contest up nine minutes later with a try to Robert Derby making it 4-4.
Ipswich began to take control of the match, with a nine-minute double to centre Dominic Macumboy giving them a 12-point advantage.
The Blackhawks brought back six points as interchange forward Taniela Sadrugu crossed in the 32nd minute, but a try to Jets centre Flynn Groth restored the home side’s double-digit lead on the stroke of half time, making it 22-10.
They traded punches early in the second half, as Jake Bourke scored in the 43rd minute and Ricco Falaniko in the 46th to make it 26-16.
Townsville claimed their first lead of the match after an hour as Sadrugu crossed for two tries in six minutes to record a hat trick and put his side two points ahead.
The Blackhawks continued their second-half onslaught as they crossed for two more tries through Zac Laybutt and Brendan Elliot, completing a brave comeback to secure a 40-26 away victory over the Jets.
Kaiviti Silktails
Sydney Roosters Ron Massey affiliate club, the Kaiviti Silktails launched their Jacquie Shannon Memorial Bowl during their bye round, in honour of their late inaugural Football Manager.
The Silktails will face the Ryde-Eastwood Hawks in Round 16 for the Inaugural Jacquie Shannon Memorial Bowl at Churchill Park, Lautoka.
