PORT City Breakers ground out a good win to kick-start their Group 3 rugby league season yesterday in a close match against Taree City Bulls.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Breakers were in danger of throwing away a fantastic first-half lead but still came away 42-28 winners at Regional Stadium.
The hosts faced more discipline problems in the match. They finished the game with 11 men after Kurt Lewis and Sam Flanagan were sent for early showers.
The Bulls also had a player sent off in the first half after he got up swinging when he scored a try.
Lewis reacted and both had an early exit. The try was disallowed.
Richie Roberts and Tristram Morris scored twice for the Breakers, while Ben Cross, Adrian Daley and Jake Kelly also found the stripe.
Daley booted all seven conversions.
Roberts' second try was the highlight of the afternoon for the hosts. He forced his way under the sticks but he had plenty of work to do when he got the ball about 15 metres from the line.
It was 30-0 at one stage before the Bulls crossed just ahead of the break.
The Breakers had all the ball in the first half and made the Bulls pay. The second was almost a carbon copy, but in reverse. The Bulls constantly threatened the hosts as the match wore down, and the Breakers being one short didn't help things.
Taree City was able to put the ball through the hands on a number of occasions and catch the Breakers short out wide.
A try to Daley sealed the win for his team.
He praised his team for a strong performance in the first half before fighting back to overcome a fast-finishing Bulls pack in the second.
"It was a pretty tough win, only having 11 players on the field," he said.
He was especially pleased with the performance of his forward pack. "The forwards aimed up," Daley said.
"Chook [Fowler] had a great game, and Dan Dumas played well."
It was especially hard for the big men when they were two players short of the usual 13.
The big fellas were doing a lot of cover defence, along with hit-ups.
Daley was forced to change things around after five eighth Lewis's departure. He brought Morris forward from fullback into the play making role.
He hoped the win would be enough to get a roll going in the competition.
The Breakers have a bye next weekend, which will be followed by a round bye the weekend after.
