Jets Soar To Victory Over Mounties

The Jets despite trailing briefly early on in the game, had the match well in control by halftime leading 24-6 despite running into a stiff southerly breeze at Aubrey Keech, with exciting fullback William Kennedy leading the charge with a first half double.

From there, the Jets pushed that lead out to 34-10 midway through the second half before the home side added some respectability to the score-line with two late tries, but never really looked in the contest despite coming into today’s game as the competition leaders.

The score could have been anything had talented five-eighth Kyle Flanagan brought his kicking boots to Aubrey Keech, given he was able to only convert three of Newtown’s seven tries, given the windy conditions.

An early penalty enabled Newtown to open the scoring in the 3^rd minute, with a slick backline movement involving Flanagan and Kennedy ended with the left winger Matt Evans scoring out wide top give the Jets a dream 4-0 start.

Mounties hit back just five minutes to grab the lead for the only time in the game, 6-4 when Williams and Brad Abbey combined to put centre Michael Oldfield over, converted from near the touchline by Sitiveni Moceidreke.

A poor kick from Williams which provided the Jets with a seven-tackle set was taken advantage of in the 12^th minute when break down the left saw Evans turn provider for Kennedy to score the first his two tries scoring off the back of the winger’s inside kick to put the Jets back in front.

A kick out on the full from Williams allowed the Jets to push their lead out to eight in the 25^th minute after Kennedy sliced through the Mounties defence from the scrum win, producing a show and go before stepping back inside the covering defence to score a slashing a solo individual try from 30 metres out.

The Jets’ dominance continued over the closing minutes of the opening half with tries to Flanagan and Bessie Aufaga-Too’maga, ensuring the home side had much work to do in second half, trailing by 18 points at the break.

Any thoughts of a Mounties second half comeback were quickly quashed five minutes into the second half when Blayke Brailey’s foresight to send play down the blind side was rewarded when centre Reubenn Rennie crashed over in the corner to push the score out to 28-6.

Multiple show and goes from Craig Garvey allowed the crafty hooker, one of Mounties’ best on an otherwise disappointing afternoon, to plunge over but the Jets put the game beyond doubt despite being fifteen minutes left on the clock, when Evans sliced through from ten metres out to score.

A barnstorming try to prop Royce Hunt followed quickly by Brad Abbey’s effort to crash over in the corner added some respectability to the score-line that by full-time read in favour of the visitors 34-20.

Mounties will now look to hit back quickly from their loss when they take on Wentworthville next Saturday at Henson Park, while later in the afternoon at the same venue, the Jets will be looking to consolidate their spot in the top eight when they host Wyong.

Newtown Jets 34 (M Evans 2, W Kennedy 2, K Flanagan, B Aufaga-Toomaga, R Rennie tries; K Flanagan 3 goals) def Mounties 20 (M Oldfield, C Garvey, R Hunt, B Abbey tries; S Moceidreke 2 goals)