THEY had been the better team and led premiers Lakes United 24-10 with 15 minutes to go, but Macquarie Scorpions were ultimately lucky to escape their Newcastle rugby league grand-final replay with a 24-all draw on Sunday.
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Lakes United scored three unanswered tries in a flurry to bring the Cahill Oval faithful to their feet. Had halfback Brad Murray’s sideline conversion gone over, the Seagulls would have pulled off one of the great escapes of the season.
Macquarie led 14-10 at the halftime break.
They extended their lead to 24-10 into the second stanza and appeared to be in control. But a string of Macquarie errors and penalties to the home team enabled Lakes to mount pressure.
That pressure led to three tries which locked up the scores with a minute to go.
Macquarie coach Adam Bettridge was very disappointed to let the win slip away.
“We had momentum in the early part of the second half and we were in control,” Bettridge said.
“But we made too many errors in the last 20 minutes and invited them back into the contest and you can’t allow a good side like Lakes a chance or they will punish you.”
The coach could, however, find plenty of positives for the Scorpions.
“Our performance against a quality team for 60 minutes of the match was easily the best we have played this year and we appear to be building, which is pleasing,” he said.
Bettridge said Scorpions centre Teason Fa'Avae-Eli was easily best on field.
He crossed for two tries and kicked four goals – two of them from the sideline.
Ultimately, it was Fa'Avae-Eli’s goal kicking that saved Macquarie from what would have been an unlikely loss.
Our performance against a quality team for 60 minutes of the match was easily the best we have played this year.
- - Adam Bettridge
The draw and the one competition point has left the Scorpions in fourth spot on the ladder but only three points behind ladder leaders Western Suburbs who suffered a shock loss to Cessnock at the weekend.
Ladder: Wests 10, Souths 8, Lakes United 8, Macquarie Scorpions 7, Cessnock 6, Kurri Kurri 5, Maitland 2, Central 2.
This Sunday, Macquarie will host second-placed South Newcastle in their Round 7 clash at Lyall Peacock Field, Toronto.
The match will be played on the Sunday due to the Newcastle representative team’s match on Saturday.
In the Newcastle Hunter Rugby League B grade competition, Dora Creek will host Morisset at Neville Thompson Oval this Saturday from 3pm.
