The crystal ball predicted a close match last week and Saturday’s much anticipated fixture didn’t dissapoint. Both sides had an average scoreline this season of 35-15 in their favour before they faced up against each other at 3pm at McLean Oval. Bungendore kicked off to the northern end with front rower Luke Thurkettle swamped by 4 defenders on the first hit up. Harden went on to hold Bungendore out from their line.
When the ball changed hands, Nic Fuller received a penalty for having the ball stripped. Thurkettle knocked on from the next set before he and Fuller combined with some strong defence. Bungendore looked to go in for a try 7 minutes into the game, when their big hooker who looked like he could have played prop was held up. He nearly went in again in the next set before being held up again. Bungendore kept applying pressure, when a sneaky kick saw their winger dive for the ball in the in goal to miss a try by inches.
Harden took a tap on their 20 metre line through Luke Stanton, also known as ‘Fui’, and the Hawks were away. A slick movement through Nathan Schofield, Chris Beal and Josh Quinn nearly payed off before Bungendore knocked the ball down. Matty Stewart made an immediate impact when he came into the fray, dislodging the ball in a firm tackle. Tim Prosser was everywhere and showed his ability, with ‘Pross’ chopping out from under under his opponents time and again. Both sides refused to give an inch with big hits, with some high shots and some nastiness creeping into the match. Bungendore sqaundered another chance on Harden’s line, and in the ensuing set, Nathan Schofield put up an almighty bomb. The Tigers’ fullback was taken in the air which resulted in a small scuffle. Harden were failing to make many inroads in to Bungendore’s territory as the Tigers applied the burners.
The back 3 of Quinn, Jones and Matt Schofield were kept busy bringing the ball back to some stiff defence. Duncan Stewart found a dislike for his opposition centre and the feeling was mutual, as both players went at each other during the match. The tide began to turn when Nic Fuller made a fifty metre break giving the Hawks their best chance to score, however the last pass again went astray and sets of 6 in the completed form were hard to find. Luke Brown gave a great ball to Tim Dukes, who handed on an even better one to Prosser, who had it raked in a blatant attempt. The Bungendore player kicked the ball away right in front of the ref and the ref was having none of it, s ending the number 16 for 10 minutes in the bin to think about his unsportsmans-like behaviour. Andrew Jones was picked up and dumped, passing the horizontal, giving Harden another penalty. Prosser went close to scoring again before being denied by the Tigers defence. The crowd were getting into it and the sponors above the dressing sheds chipped in with their views on the match. The players went to the sheds leaving the crowd in anticpation of an excellent second half. Duncan Stewart had a couple of punches thrown at him after he came in to defend Matt Stewart after he was taken high. The number 17 for Bungendore was then sent to the bin for 10 mintes to have a think about his actions. The referee stopped the game after talking to both teams in an effort to calm things down. In typical Stewart fashion, ‘Hit and Spin’ left that skill in the bag as he charged at the Tiger’s defence. 3 players rushed out of the line to clean him up, and after holding him down and kneeing him in the head another penalty was given.
Not long after, Chris Beal went as close as any Hawk had yet when he looked to score. The veteran centre-three-quarter managed to suffer a game ending injury to his left knee (the better one) and was taken from the field. With 25 minutes left on the clock and the teams stuck at nil all, it was still anybody’s game. Adam Byrne put Matt Schofied in for what looked like a try, however it was called back for a forward pass. Byrne cut out two players to put Schofield away and the groans from the crowd showed how close it was.
Bungendore tried to go down the left hand side of the field and threw a long ball, intercepted by Josh Quinn. The ‘Mighty Quinn’ sprinted 80 metres with two defenders chasing. Quinn looked a sure thing close to the posts and the best chance since Beal to score the first points in the game before desperate defence from the Tigers brought him down a meter short of their line. The Hawks bombed their next chance by passing the ball over the sideline. Players were stopping to pretend to do up shoe laces and calling for water as fatigue crept in to the match. Chances continued to be bombed by both sides, however the fitness of some of the Hawks players looked to be superior to their opposition.
Adam Byrne and Daniel Drew were often seen kicking on the last and making it to the first tackle on the next set. Drew forced a mistake form one of his kamikaze runs giving Harden the feed with about 8 minutes to go. It looked as if no one would score before Nathan Schofield took the game into his hands when he chipped over the top to regather and score an excellent try, putting the Hawks up 4 nil. Fullback Jones was given the chance to make it six nil, however the ball went across the face of the goal. Harden 4 Bungendore nil.
It was difficult to pick a best player for the Hawks with Coach Quinn proud of the effort put in. “The boys toughed out a win today. It was good to see them complete the game, it wasn’t easy out there today.”
ADFA Blue has forfeited for the match that was to take place at home this Saturday in the second of their 3 home matches in a row. The Hawkettes will play an match against an invitational local ladies side
