The Easts Tigers suffered their first loss for 2019 in Round 3 of the In Safe Hands Cup, going down 32-22 to Valleys Diehards at Langlands Park on Saturday.
The Diehards got off to a flying start. After a short kick off, the high-flying Henry Penn was able to bat the ball back to his support player.
Minutes later, the Diehards had scored the first points of the game. Prop Joe McGuire had come close to muscling over under the posts drawing three defenders. A quick play-the-ball and fullback Jayden Baker was able to waltz his way through the Tigers scrambling defence to score the first of his three tries for the afternoon.
Baker would put more pain on the home side as he pounced on an in-goal grubber kick from five-eighth Brad Frith shortly after.
This was followed by a length of the field try finished off by Penn. A Tigers handling error ten metres out from the Diehards line gave Frith a gift possession as he slipped past two defenders to race to the half way line then throw a no look inside pass to a flying Penn who motored away untouched across the chalk.
Easts would finally give their home supporters some cheer as second rower Jack Peoples burst through some ordinary defence before linking with fullback Kyle Coghill to open the Tigers account.
With 70 seconds remaining in the first half, the Tigers were over again as the human wrecking ball Justin Fai crashed over with four Diehards on his back, cutting the margin to 18-12.
The Tigers were over with their third try to start the second half as right winger Aaron Piddock won the race to the in-goal kick from halfback Kyle Coghill with an inch to spare, levelling the scores.
Valleys regained the lead with a perfect set play that sent Baker over under the black dot to complete his hat-trick.
Easts hit back as Max Felosi darted from dummy half as six Diehards attempted to stop his progress to no avail.
The mailman, Luke Archer, delivered again for Valleys to put the icing on the cake and wrap up a 32-22 victory.
Jack Miers was perfect with the boot, slotting six goals and helping secure the victory.
Elsewhere, the Dolphins were victorious in their first home game of the season 38-6 over the Magpies on the back of a double from skipper James Flack.
Finally, defending champions Seagulls put the West Brisbane Panthers to the sword at BMD Kougari Oval on Sunday afternoon with a seven tries to two, 46-14 win. Hooker Tristan Hope posted three tries.
In Safe Hands Cup Round 3 results
Diehards 32 (Jayden Baker 3, Henry Penn, Luke Archer tries Jack Miers 6 goals) defeated Tigers 22 (Kyle Coghill, Maxwell Fesolai, Aaron Piddock, Justin Fai tries Nathan Brown 3 goals)
Dolphins 38 (James Flack 2, Michael Walit, Jed Simbiken, Justice Utatao, Kyle Foxwell, Harrison Smith tries Oscar Carter goal, Reece Braun 4 goals) defeated Magpies 6 (Jerome Veve try Josh Bowyer goal)
Seagulls 46 (Tristan Hope 3, Andrew Richardson 2, Sam Elliott 2 tries, Lachlan Lee; Tristan Hope 7 goals) defeated Panthers 14 (Johnnie Fox, Troy Swift tries; Khan Ahwang 3 goals)
Full fixtures and standings for the In Safe Hands Cup
