Yanco-Wamoon picked up their first win of the 2018 Group 20 first grade season after a 34-22 win over the Black and Whites at Solar Mad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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The Panthers were able to get across the line first after capitalising on a mistake for the Hawks with Damien Bell after he found a gap off the back of a scrum to score under the post.
Yanco were forced to show their ability to fight back as Troy Preston scored two tries while Michael Thomas and Shannon Bradbrook were able to get across the line to see the Hawks go into halftime with a 22-6 lead.
Needing to respond quickly after the break the Black and Whites were able to recover their fifth tackle kick before Bell placed the ball in the corner for Rossi Trimboli to score.
It was two in a row as after the ball hit the ground Ziggy Vincent was able to pounce on the loose ball to score in the corner to reduce the gap to six points with 23 minutes remaining.
That was as close as the Panthers would get as Preston completed his hat-trick after being played through the defensive line by a Bradbrook pass before Glenn Dumbrell crashed over next to the post to wrap up the win for the visitors.
The Black and Whites were able to get a consolation try as Brandon Atkinson made the most of a 40-20 kick to get over the line the reduce the finishing margin to 34-22.
Yanco-Wamoon coach Nick Puntoriero said it was a relief for his boys to finally pick up their first win of the season but had concerns at the start of the second half.
“I was a little bit concerned because we have been in that position a couple of times this year,” he said.
“We took our foot off the gas and let teams back into it, but we were on it today.”
Punteriero felt the win came mostly from the hard work of his side’s smaller guys out wide.
“Our outside backs had us set up well from the kick return,” he said.
“We were starting the set of pretty fast and then yea off the back of that our forwards could roll forward give our five-eighth and halfback to work off that.”
The Hawks coached praised his debutante who had only just arrived.
“Chance (Tauri) on his debut for us was pretty good considering he has had limited preparation he has only just got here,” he said.
Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
