Long-range goal seals thrilling win for City in Men’s Open Age
City has snatched a thrilling 30-28 win over Country at Leichhardt Oval today after Zac Greene landed a penalty goal from the halfway line with only two minutes left on the clock.
City surged to a 22-0 lead in the first half before Country staged a fightback to lock the scores up at 28-all with 10 minutes to go and set up a grandstand finish.
City hooker Craig Garvey was named Player of the Match after bagging a double, while Country winger Honeti Tuha finished the day with a hat-trick.
Country started the first half a little shaky, dropping the ball from the kick-off to gift City with great field position. City quickly capitalised off a six again call to score through Garvey for a 6-0 lead.
City went back-to-back after lock Jayden Rafferty-Buttfield regathered a fifth play kick before passing the ball back inside for prop Joshua Finau to cross under the posts (12-0).
With all the momentum, City scored another two tries in the opening 20 minutes to extend their lead out to 22 points – with Garvey bagging his double.
Country finally opened their scoring in the 26th minute through centre Matthew Soper-Lawler, who broke through the defensive line before passing the ball to Tuha to score in the corner (22-4).
The Country winger his second try of the day in the 35th minute, with the ball quickly being shifted out for him to dive over in the corner (22-8).
Country’s spine then combined to send the ball out to the right for fullback Cameron Anderson to step through the line and score (22-12).
Both teams came out the blocks firing in the second half, however a 40/20 from Greene gave his side the early advantage.
City fullback Jade Anderson extended his side’s lead to 16 points with the playmaker diving out of dummy-half to score (28-12).
A knock-on from City helped Country bounce back, with winger James Morgan regathering the loose ball to score (28-18).
Country were in again four minutes later after Tuha raced down the sideline, bulldozing over his opposite number Christian Crichton to crash over in the corner (28-22).
The scores were locked up at 28-all when Country five-eighth Chad O’Donnell passed a short ball for back-rower Joshua Ayers to run straight through the defensive line and score.
With two minutes remaining, Greene stepped up to nail a penalty goal from 50 metres out to snatch a remarkable win.
City 30 (Craig Garvey 2, Joshua Finau, Anan Iaria, Jade Anderson tries; Zac Greene 5 goals) Country 28 (Honeti Tuha 3, Cameron Anderson, James Morgan; Chad O’Donnell 2 goals)
