Magpies sneak home over Saints

Photo: NashysPix (www.nashyspix.com)

ROUND 3 REVIEW: Sawtell/Toormina’s men came within a whisker of recording its first win for the season but just fell short at Port Macquarie.

The Saints had more scoring shots than Port Macquarie and nobody could accuse them of kicking badly in front of goal. The problem was that the reigning premier was able to stay in the contest with incredibly accurate kicking in front of goal.

The margins at the breaks were 6 points, 5 points and 4 points all with the Magpies in front and the Saints were looking to give their season a mighty kickstart.

An untimely white card against Sawtell for an audible obscenity coming from the interchange area late in the match allowed Port to kick a goal gave the home team enough breathing space to record a close victory.

Tom Dickson kicked four goals for the Magpies to stay at the top of the leading goalkickers table while Buckley Jarvis kicked three majors for Sawtell/Toormina.

RESULTS – PORT MACQUARIE vs. SAWTELL/TOORMINA

Under 18s – Sawtell/Toormina 10.5 (65) def Port Macquarie 6.6 (42)

Women – Port Macquarie def Sawtell/Toormina (forfeit)

Reserves – Port Macquarie 17.7 (119) def Sawtell/Toormina 2.2 (14)

Men – Port Macquarie 11.2 (68) def Sawtell/Toormina 9.7 (61)

Byron Bay’s women’s team has recorded its first win of the season with a hard fought 20 point victory ver Grafton.

The Tigers will rue a slow start to the match where Byron kicked three unanswered goals in the opening quarter to set up the match wining lead.

In the final three terms, both teams kicked three goals each with the Tigers showing signs of improvement the longer the match went.

Ten goals in the final term by the Magpies’ men’s team proved the difference at Ellem Oval.

Playing at home, Grafton was enjoying its fair share of both possession and territory but was unable to make its shots on goal count.

At the final break Byron Bay had a slim 19 scoring shots to 14 advantage but led by 45 points thanks to the Magpies’ more accurate kicking of 12.7 to Grafton’s 4.10.

The last term saw the final margin blow out with Byron’s Blayne Hull snaring a couple of last quarter goals to take his tally for the day to eight.

RESULTS – GRAFTON vs. BYRON BAY MAGPIES

Women – Byron Bay Magpies 6.5 (41) def Grafton 3.3 (21)

Reserves – Nambucca Valley 12.11 (83) def Grafton 5.9 (39)

Men – Byron Bay Magpies 22.8 (140) def Grafton 7.10 (52)

The Northern Beaches women held off a fast finishing Coffs Breakers to record a nail-biting six-point win in their grand final rematch.

The Blues kicked four goals to two across the second and third quarters to set up a 12 point lead at three-quarter time but the Breakers refused to throw in the towel and came close to turning the tables on the team that defeated them in last year’s decider.

In the men’s match at Wiigulga Sports Complex, the Breakers recorded the largest margin of the season so far to move to the top of the ladder courtesy of their very healthy percentage.

Breakers captain Tyrone Jones has spent most of his career playing in defence but he made the most of his foray forward kicking nine goals.

RESULTS – NORTHERN BEACHES vs. COFFS BREAKERS

Women – Northern Beaches 5.10 (40) def Coffs Breakers 5.4 (34)

Men – Coffs Breakers 31.14 (200) def Northern Beaches 0.2 (2)

Round 4 – Saturday, May 13 (COMMUNITY UMPIRING ROUND)

BYRON BAY MAGPIES vs PORT MACQUARIE at Wiigulga Sports Complex, Woolgoolga

(12.30pm – Women, 2.30pm – Men)

SAWTELL/TOORMINA vs NORTHERN BEACHES at Richardson Park, Sawtell

(12.20pm – Women, 1.50pm – Men)

COFFS BREAKERS vs GRAFTON at Fitzroy Oval, Coffs Harbour

(11.50am – Women, 1.20pm – Reserves, 2.50pm – Men)

COFFS BREAKERS vs PORT MACQUARIE at Fitzroy Oval, Coffs Harbour

(10am – Under 18s)

NAMBUCCA VALLEY vs PORT MACQUARIE at E J Biffin Playing Fields, Nambucca Heads

(1.20pm – Reserves)