By Terry Liberopoulos
Wentworthville Magpies held off a fightback from the New Zealand Warriors to run out 38-24 winners in warm conditions at Belmore Sports Ground.
Wentworthville came out firing, establishing a 16-0 lead after just nine minutes and it looked like they will skip away with the game.
Ken Sio opened the scoring after just 90 seconds when Chris Sandow made the break before sending his winger over.
Sio then latched onto an intercept before racing 90 metres to score in the seventh minute. They were in again just two minutes later when Lorenzo Ma'afu stretched out to score.
The Warriors to their credit bounced back with tries to Ben Henry and Raymond Faitala-Mariner to reduce the deficit to just a converted try.
The Magpies went into the break leading 22-10 after prop forward Daniel Alvaro barged over next to the posts.
Wentworthville increased their advantage early in the second stanza when Ma'afu burrowed over from close range to score.
The Warriors hit back with two tries is as many minutes to winger Jarred Wilson to get them back to 26-20.
The New Zealand side was beginning to get over the opposition /and they were in again in the 64th minute when quick passing along the backline resulted in Davod Fusitua racing over. Half-back Tuimoala Lolohea missed a simple attempt at goal thus giving the Magpies a slender 26-24 lead.
The Warriors threw everything at the Wentworthville Magpies but some silly errors cost them the chance to grab the lead.
With four minutes remaining, Wenty winger Bureta Faraimo split the defence and with no full-back at home raced over to score. Sandow converted to make it 32-24.
Wentworthville were not done with the scoreboard with Sandow racing over to score right on full-time.
This weekend the Warriors will host the Cutters at Eden Park while Wenty head to Ringrose on Sunday to play host to the Jets.
Wentworthville Magpies 38 (K Sio 2, L Ma’afu 2, B Faraimo, D Alvaro, C Sandow tries; C Sandow 5 goals) def. New Zealand Warriors 24 (J Wilson 2, D Fusitua, B Henry, R Faitala-Mariner tries; T Lolohea 2 goals) at Belmore Sports Ground.
