The Magpies finish Round 15 just one point out of the top eight after recording a sterling come-from-behind 38-34 win over fellow Western Sydney rivals Mounties at Ringrose Park.
Mounties’ efforts weren’t helped with the loss of key forwards, Royce Hunt and JJ Collins, given their opponents, Wentworthville were able to field the likes of Bevan French, Will Smith, Tim Mannah and Daniel Alvaro.
The Magpies’ efforts were meritorious given they had to come back from a 26-10 deficit early in the second half, with Bevan French putting his class on the game with a double mid-way through the second half, that sparked Wentworthville’s comeback.
Both sides were guilty of making errors but it would be the home side who would settle first and open the scoring in the 8th minute when prop Daniel Alvaro plunged over from close range to give the Magpies a handy 6-0 lead with Rhys Davies’ simple conversion.
But it would just five minutes for the visitors to hit back somewhat fortuitously when a loose Mounties pass inside the Magpies 20 was knocked on and regathered by Dean Matterson to score next to the posts, to make it 6-6 all with Andre Niko’s simple conversion.
Mounties took a 8-6 lead 5 minutes later through a penalty goal to Niko after late Magpies inclusion, Marata Niukore was penalised for late contact on Mounties hooker, Tom Starling.
Mounties were perhaps lucky not to lose a player to the sin bin when Daniel Keir was placed on report for an alleged crusher tackle midway through the first half.
But the visitors weren’t perturbed by the decision and in fact extended their lead out to 6 with an unconverted try to Harley Smart-Shields in the 25th minute, the result of some quick hands out left, which enabled the centre to crash over out wide, before another simple penalty goal to Niko enabled Mounties to take a 14-6 lead after 30 minutes.
A horrible kick return error from the Magpies’ Bevan French was swooped upon by Andre Niko who sprinted 20m untouched to score behind the posts to give the visitors a commanding 14 point lead with seven minutes remaining to the main break.
But having weather further pressure on their own try line, the home side hit back with a try of their own just before the main break with winger Haze Dunster scooting down the sideline to score in the left corner, cutting the margin to 8 with Davies’ booming sideline conversion.
Mounties soon after resumption of play regained ascendancy with a converted try to replacement forward Steven Tevita that pushed the score out to 26-10 with 30 minutes remaining.
But French had other ideas.
The fullback atoned for his earlier error by scoring underneath the posts from close range three minutes later before backing up a break to score his second another four minutes and despite Davies missing the latter conversion, the Magpies suddenly trailed by four with 23 minutes remaining in the game.
Mounties seemingly had steadied the ship with a second try to Smith-Shields midway through the second half, with the centre finishing off a long-range break to dive over to score in the left corner in spectacular fashion, which pushed the score in Mounties’ favour, back out to 30-22.
But an error inside their own half, opened the door for Wentworthville to hit back and they did just that with a try in the right corner to winger Greg Leleisiuao which left the visitors clinging on once again to a four lead with thirteen minutes remaining.
And the Magpies’ comeback was complete when back-rower Andrew Davey crashed over out wide from close range and with Davies’ conversion from close range with ten minutes left on the clock, the home side finally regained a lead that they had not held since the early stages of the game.
The loudest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the prop forward, Tim Mannah when he scored next to the posts from close range to take the lead out to 38-30, before Mounties scored an unconverted try on the siren in the right corner through centre Matthew Timoko.
The win means the Magpies remain well in the hunt for a top eight spot while for Mounties, they not only missed another golden opportunity to reclaim top spot on the Canterbury Cup ladder after former league leaders, Penrith, also lost their second game in succession the previous day, but have now slipped back to fifth with back-to-back losses.
Next Saturday sees Wentworthville host Blacktown Workers while Mounties travel to the Metricon High-Performance Centre to take on the Souths Sydney Rabbitohs.
https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/06/29/live-coverage--canterbury-cup-nsw-rd-15/
