TOYOTA CUP BOW OUT AFTER GALLANT EFFORT AGAINST RAIDERS
The Dragons Toyota Cup side have tonight bowed out of the 2008 Premiership race after they were defeated 18-14 by the Raiders at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The Dragons crossed for the opening try of the game but the Raider scored the next three to open up a good lead. The match finished with both side’s run off their feet and the Raiders holding on to book a Grand Final spot.
Coach Steve Price was happy with the effort in a match that they just couldn’t finish things off.
“We tried very hard but just couldn’t crack them open,” he said. “We were in good positions throughout but just failed to finish things off.”
After the Raiders started the match in possession the Dragons received the ball for the second set of the match. From there the Dragons worked down field and earned a penalty on half-way with Raiders prop Nick Skinner being penalised for a high shot. Starting the set in good field position gave the Dragons a good opportunity and they didn’t disappoint. Early in the count Captain John Kennedy looked to get the ball out the back but hit the front runner in Jake Marketo who had the ball stripped and Kennedy won the race to the ball to score. Dureau couldn’t convert from 15m to the left of the uprights with the Dragons in front 4-nil after four minutes.
In the 11th minute the Raiders hit back after back to back penalties put them in good field position. The first was earned after Marketo threw the ball away at a changeover and the second was against the red and whites for laying in the play the ball for too long. Some weak defence cost the Dragons and the Raiders cruised over to score through back rower Joel Thompson. Halfback Matt Smith just turned the ball back on the inside for Thompson to score. Fullback Josh Dugan converted to put the Raiders in front 6-4.
A bust down the left hand side by Raiders winger Drury Low ended in the Raiders second try of the night. When the cover defence came across Low put a chip across and Nick Skinner caught the ball and stepped inside the defence to score. Dugan again converted with the Raiders now 12-4 in front after 18 minutes.
As per weeks gone by the Dragons were just tired in the dying stages of the first half and the Raiders capitalised to score in the 39th minute. It was again some lacklustre defence from the young Dragons that cost them with back rower Andrew Edwards crashing over under the posts. Dugan again converted with the Raiders going to the break with an 18-4 lead.
Early in the second half the Dragons were in a commanding position after a charge down from Luke Muttdon resulted in a break being made by Dean Whare. From there the Raiders were on the back foot and again Marketo went over the line and in a very dubious decision he was ruled to have knocked on went putting the ball down for the try.
Eleven minutes into the second half the Dragons were able to cross for their second try of the night through winger Daniel Nicastri. A bust was made through the middle by Nathan Dureau with the Raiders closing him down 15m out from the line. On the next play the Raiders were reeling in defence and Kennedy took the ball to the right and threw a cut-out ball to Nicastri to score in the south-western corner. Dureau couldn’t convert leaving the score at 18-8.
The Dragons were slowly taking control of the match and scored their third try in the 61st minute. With a massive overlap to the left Kennedy got the ball in his hands took a step off his left foot and popped the ball up for Clifford Morris who stormed on to the ball and crashed over under the posts. Dureau converted this time to close the gap to 18-14 in favour of the Raiders.
The finish to the match was survival of the fittest. Both side’s had played their guts out and a number of half breaks were mad with the cover defence for both teams simply outstanding in the closing stages. It was end to end football with either side able to make the vital break to open the game up.
In a gallant effort the Dragons just couldn’t crack the Raiders open and the green machine held on to earn the first spot in the Toyota Cup Grand Final.
Plenty of heart was shown by the young Dragons throughout 2008 and with over half the side still eligible to play Toyota Cup again in 2009 the future looks to be in good hands.
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