Four tries to prop Mitch Spackman helped the Bilambil Jets upset defending premiers Tugun 48-32 at Bilambil Sports on Sunday.
In a performance that will likely see him expelled from the front rower’s club, Spackman scored twice as many tries in one afternoon than he had scored in the entire season leading into the game.
In fact, it was quite a day out for props as Tugun front rower Chris Hodges also crossed for two tries.
At the end of the day though it was the result that mattered and the Bilambil Jets may well have booked themselves a spot in the upcoming semi-finals with an impressive win.
Scores were level with ten minutes to go, but the Jets managed to kick on with three late tries to seal the win.
It was their third on the trot and second straight against top four teams after knocking off Tweed Heads in round 12.
With four games remaining in the regular season the fifth placed Jets have a four-point buffer between themselves and sixth placed Runaway Bay, meaning Bay needs to go unbeaten for the rest of the year to realistically be any chance of usurping Bilambil.
Spackman was the star for the Jets but teenage halfback Nic Burns continued to make a name for himself as well by scoring a hat-trick.
Next Sunday the Jets face their litmus test when they travel to Pizzey Park to take on the competition leading Burleigh Bears.
Tugun meanwhile slip down to fourth spot as a result of the loss.
In other round 13 Coast-2-Coast Bycroft Cup results the top three teams in the competition all flexed their muscles heading into the business end.
Tweed thumped Cudgen 64-10, snapping a two-game losing streak and moving back into third spot, while the Burleigh Bears accounted for Currumbin 58-22.
The other match of the round featured the second placed Southport Tigers downing Bay 24-8 at Owen Park.
BURLEIGH 58 (Tries: G. McCallum 3,B. Smith 2,D. Kerr 2, C. Lyons, C, Kiernan, J. Malcolm, P. Woodward Goals: D. Kerr 7) def CURRUMBIN 22 (Tries: T. Cassidy 2, J. Gill, R. Worboys Goals: R. Worboys 3)
BILAMBIL 48 (Tries: M. Spackman 4, N. Burns 3, L. Jaeger, L. Hawkins Goals: T. Canning 6 def TUGUN 32 (Tries: C. Hodges 2, B. Clarke, D. Webb, B. Wilson, B. Madden Goals: V. Butari 4)
TWEED SEAGULLS 64 (Tries: R. Parata 3, D. Kelly 2, A Grant 2, R Mason 2, T. Smith, J. McDonald, S. Dalton, J. Vanderbrum Goals: A. Grant 4, R. Parata 2) def CUDGEN 10 (Tries: J. Berkers, S. Green Goals: J. Sands)
SOUTHPORT 24 (Tries: J. Ah-See, D. Vinson, J. Barker, W. Waenga, I. Fuaivaa Goals: M. Davis, T. Whakatihi) def def RUNAWAY BAY 8 (Tries: M. Parata, M. Gandy)
LADDER: Burleigh 22, Southport 21,Tweed Heads 17, Tugun 16, Bilambil 12, Runaway Bay 8, Currumbin 6, Cudgen 2.
