Upsets galore as Magpies register first win of the year, Stingrays win derby
Tallon Smith
The highly competitive start to the South Coast Group 7 season has continued into the fifth round of the competition, with the Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies getting their first win back in the top grade competition with a 20-18 home victory over Jamberoo.
After both sides scored three tries and kicked all three conversions, a penalty goal was enough to get the chocolates for Berry, with Billy Hayburn’s fourth goal proving the difference on a momentous day for the historic club.
Meanwhile, Gerringong’s shaky start to their quest for a threepeat has continued with the Lions falling to the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles 24-6 on Sunday afternoon.
A quartet of tries to Kane Ball, Dallas Harrison, Jye Ellis and Zaan Weatherall saw the Eagles easily outscore their Major Semi Final opponents from last season, taking sweet revenge by the exact same scoreline as that match.
Stingrays Shellharbour took outright leadership of the competition through four weeks after a 12-8 win in the Shellharbour Derby against the Sharks in the match of the round at Flinders Field.
Tries to Darnell Walker and Kieran Rankmore and a pair of conversions to match from Hamish McLaurin were enough for the ‘Rays to get past the Sharks, who scored two tries of their own through Ryan James and Malokai Tomo, but failed to add the extras on both occasions.
Finally, the Kiama Knights joined the Sharks, Eagles, Lions and Superoos on six competition points after a 22-6 home win over the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs at the Kiama Showground.
The Knights ran in four tries to one in a strong performance that sees them now join a five-way tie for second position on the ladder.
Full Scores – Group 7 First Grade: Round 5
Stingrays Shellharbour 12 (D. Walker, K. Rankmore tries H. McLaurin 2 goals) def Shellharbour Sharks 8 (R. James, M. Tomo tries).
Kiama Knights 22 (B. Killmore, K. Andrews, M. Nicholson, T. Angel tries C. Vazzoler 2 goals, B. Killmore goal) def Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs 6 (L. Barr try C. Roach goal).
Albion Park Oak Flats Eagles 20 (K. Ball, D. Harrison, J. Ellis, Z. Weatherall tries L. Murray 2 goals) def Gerringong Lions 6 (J. Quine try J. Taylor goal).
Berry Shoalhaven Heads Magpies 20 (M. Hickey, B. Hayburn, T. Ieremia tries B. Hayburn 4 goals) def Jamberoo Superoos 18 (G. Rosewarn, D. Hodgson, K. Stone tries D. Watling 3 goals).