Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
WYONG'S gutsy six-match-winning run has ended at the hands of Wentworthville in the NSW Cup rugby league preliminary final at Leichhardt Oval.
Wyong were defeated 29-16 after leading 16-14 early in the second half.
Dale Clacherty scored the first of his two tries for the Roos after fullback Mark Kheirallah wove his way through the Wentworthville defence and drew fullback Justin Hunt before delivering a nicely timed pass to the winger.
The Magpies hit back with two tries.
The second was a touch unlucky for the Roos. Wyong hooker Mitch Williams was called offside while retreating in defence. He hesitated and it opened a passage for hooker Ben Jones to run through and find Sam Gorman, who scored for a 10-4 lead.
Williams created a string of opportunities for the Roos, which culminated in Clacherty's second try in the corner. Williams handled twice in the movement, before surprising the Magpies defence with a grubber behind the advancing line, which sat up for the flanker.
Wyong went to the break trailing 14-10.
Williams regained the initiative for the underdogs when he slipped out of dummy half close to the Wentworthville try line and fired a superb pass across the face of several defenders for winger Damon Goolagong to cross untouched and set up a 16-14 lead for Wyong.
The Roos looked likely to extend their advantage in a backline sweep, but it came undone when Kheirallah's pass was intercepted by Wentworthville winger Jake Butler-Fleming, who ran 90 metres to score in the corner. The try was effectively a 12-point swing on the scoreboard, and a massive momentum changer.
Wyong tried gamely in the final quarter, but could not continue to contain the Magpies' big attacking weapons.
The loss means the end of the road for Wyong's charge.
Wentworthville meet Penrith and Newcastle play Illawarra in the grand-final qualifiers at Leichhardt Oval this Sunday.