The Currumbin Eagles have moved into the Bycroft Cup top five for the first time this season with a 32-10 win over the Cudgen Hornets at Galleon Way.
In the end the Eagles won by a comfortable 22 points, but for most of the contest it was a battle between two sides that had plenty on the line.
Cudgen has been in fifth spot for much of the season but Currumbins surge in form over recent weeks made this game a playoff for a spot in the top five.
It started horribly for the home side as halfback Michael Cook went down injured in the very first tackle of the match.
He would return to the field in the second half but that injury caused a backline reshuffle and it took them some time to adjust during the first half.
The opening stanza was evenly matched with the highlight coming from Hornets fullback Jake Sands in the 39th minute.
Sands took a towering bomb on his own 30 metre line and used strength and speed to break through the first line of defence into the backfield.
Once he was in open space he opened up, beating several cover defenders to eventually score a magnificent solo try.
Despite trailing 12-10 at the break the try by Sands gave the Hornets some momentum coming into the break, but they couldnt capitalise on it in the second half.
Currumbin wore their opposition down with some effective play through the middle third of the field.
It took time to see results but Currumbins go-forward coupled with some smart kicking from five-eighth Reece Worboys started to yield results in the 60th minute.
Ten metres out from the Cudgen line Worboys turned the ball inside to a flying Tim Cassidy who used strength to barge over in a try that opened the flood gates.
In the next twelve minutes Currumbin picked up tries through Michael Cook, Jack Whitely and a second to Tim Cassidy as they ran out comfortable winners.
The Eagles stuck to a game plan for eighty minutes and were rewarded for it with points late in the game much to the pleasure of coach Michael Woods.
Thats something this side has struggled with, being patient, Woods said.
Being a young side weve lacked patience at times this year and that has led to inconsistencies.
But today they worked hard at sticking to a pattern for a fair while then we called it when we wanted to change it up.
I thought it was a good game of football to be honest. It was played with the enthusiasm and intensity it deserved given what the result meant for both sides.
Eagles five-eighth Reece Worboys was the architect of much of his sides success, directing the team around the park effectively in an impressive display.
His coach was pleased with the way his playmaker performed and challenged him to keep improving.
Reece has got to take a bit more responsibility about how the teams run, Woods said.
Hes been told hes got to take responsibility he definitely did that well today.
I thought everybody was very, very consistent out there. Reece obviously had a big game.
Everybody put in. We are starting to get very consistent across the paddock and the younger ones are starting to step up now.
Guys like Jared Gill, Jimmy Dick, Matt Grundy; all these young kids are stepping up and that makes a big difference under pressure.
With four wins in their last five starts the Eagles have built some solid momentum and with just two rounds remaining in the regular season the semi-finals are within reach.
In other round 15 Bycroft Cup results the Burleigh Bears defeated Bilambil 22-18, Southport edged Tugun 24-18 and the Tweed Seagulls picked up their first win in three months with a 50-20 win over Runaway Bay.
CURRUMBIN EAGLES 32 (T. Cassidy 2, D. Panui, J. Gill, J. Whitely, M. Cook tries C. Gerhardt 4 goals) def CUDGEN HORNETS 10 (J. Sands, S. Nipperess tries J. Sands goal) at Galleon Way
In the end the Eagles won by a comfortable 22 points, but for most of the contest it was a battle between two sides that had plenty on the line.
Cudgen has been in fifth spot for much of the season but Currumbins surge in form over recent weeks made this game a playoff for a spot in the top five.
It started horribly for the home side as halfback Michael Cook went down injured in the very first tackle of the match.
He would return to the field in the second half but that injury caused a backline reshuffle and it took them some time to adjust during the first half.
The opening stanza was evenly matched with the highlight coming from Hornets fullback Jake Sands in the 39th minute.
Sands took a towering bomb on his own 30 metre line and used strength and speed to break through the first line of defence into the backfield.
Once he was in open space he opened up, beating several cover defenders to eventually score a magnificent solo try.
Despite trailing 12-10 at the break the try by Sands gave the Hornets some momentum coming into the break, but they couldnt capitalise on it in the second half.
Currumbin wore their opposition down with some effective play through the middle third of the field.
It took time to see results but Currumbins go-forward coupled with some smart kicking from five-eighth Reece Worboys started to yield results in the 60th minute.
Ten metres out from the Cudgen line Worboys turned the ball inside to a flying Tim Cassidy who used strength to barge over in a try that opened the flood gates.
In the next twelve minutes Currumbin picked up tries through Michael Cook, Jack Whitely and a second to Tim Cassidy as they ran out comfortable winners.
The Eagles stuck to a game plan for eighty minutes and were rewarded for it with points late in the game much to the pleasure of coach Michael Woods.
Thats something this side has struggled with, being patient, Woods said.
Being a young side weve lacked patience at times this year and that has led to inconsistencies.
But today they worked hard at sticking to a pattern for a fair while then we called it when we wanted to change it up.
I thought it was a good game of football to be honest. It was played with the enthusiasm and intensity it deserved given what the result meant for both sides.
Eagles five-eighth Reece Worboys was the architect of much of his sides success, directing the team around the park effectively in an impressive display.
His coach was pleased with the way his playmaker performed and challenged him to keep improving.
Reece has got to take a bit more responsibility about how the teams run, Woods said.
Hes been told hes got to take responsibility he definitely did that well today.
I thought everybody was very, very consistent out there. Reece obviously had a big game.
Everybody put in. We are starting to get very consistent across the paddock and the younger ones are starting to step up now.
Guys like Jared Gill, Jimmy Dick, Matt Grundy; all these young kids are stepping up and that makes a big difference under pressure.
With four wins in their last five starts the Eagles have built some solid momentum and with just two rounds remaining in the regular season the semi-finals are within reach.
In other round 15 Bycroft Cup results the Burleigh Bears defeated Bilambil 22-18, Southport edged Tugun 24-18 and the Tweed Seagulls picked up their first win in three months with a 50-20 win over Runaway Bay.
CURRUMBIN EAGLES 32 (T. Cassidy 2, D. Panui, J. Gill, J. Whitely, M. Cook tries C. Gerhardt 4 goals) def CUDGEN HORNETS 10 (J. Sands, S. Nipperess tries J. Sands goal) at Galleon Way
