THE Imperial Hotel Roosters First Division side completed its fourth game in a row on the road with our Round 11 clash against Newcastle City.
1st DIVISION
The 1st Division Roosters were looking forward to travelling down to play an improving Newcastle at the Number 1 Sportsground for the only time of the home and away rounds this season. We had our strongest team on paper for quite some time so we were looking to a good performance from the boys.
We had a slow start to quarter one against a committed and well-structured Newcastle City outfit.. Our backline was under extreme pressure due to the lack of accountability through the centres and our forward line entries were not where we needed them to be. We lacked our usual zip around the contests and our disposal and decision making was poor.
The second quarter was very much in the same vein as the first quarter with our structures and desire for the contest being matched and then exploited by the opposition. We went to the half time break with the game in the balance.
After the long break we still struggled to break the Newcastle shackles. Our defense was still playing strongly but we were very stagnant through the centres and forward not taking the game on with switch play and running the lines. We were very fortunate to score two late goals in the dying minutes of the quarter and go into the last break with a slight lead.
the last quarter was definitely our best term of the match with our ball movement starting to improve. The run and give from behind increased but we were still making fundamental skill and decision making errors. In the end we ran the quarter out stronger than our opposition and came away with a hard fought victory.
Although nowhere near our best display for the year we still found a way to win with the side still remaining undefeated after 11 rounds of football. This week sees us take on Cardiff in our 5th straight game on the road. The squad is determined to get through this grueling away period unscathed and put up a much more accomplished performance.
Results: Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Singleton 3.1 5.3 8.6 11.9-75
Newcastle 3.0 4.2 6.3 7.5-47
Goals: S. Brasington 4, P. Chandler 2, J. Walmsley, J. Evans, M. Roser, T. Colleary & A. Mitchell 1 each
Best: J. Walmsley, N. Childs, S. Brasington, T. Colleary, B. Mynard, V. Roser
2nd DIVISION
The Division 2 Roosters had another tough day at the office. Playing at home against the Lake Macquarie Dockers, the Roosters were hit hard before the first bounce of the ball. Several withdrawals before the game meant the team went into the game with only one on the bench. The Roosters were well served by returning club captain Richard Wilkes, team captain Hugh Smith and the versatile Marty Bower. The Roosters maintained defensive pressure all game, not allowing easy shots on goal and forcing rash decision making by the Dockers. However, the pure weight of forward offensives proved too much for the Roosters.
In the end, sheer weight of numbers won for the Dockers but the Roosters can hold their heads high in that even outnumbered, they fought the game out to the finish.
Results: Q1 Q2 Q3 Final
Singleton 1.2 2.2 3.4 5.7-37
Macquarie 3.7 5.11 7.17 10.19-79
Goals: J. Vanlierop 2, C. Fraser, M. Bower & D. Stefani 1 each
Best: R. Wilkes, H. Smith, M. Bower, S. Old, M. Harrod, C. Fraser
Round 12 sees the Roosters away to Cardiff in 1st Division and away to Maitland in 2nd Division.
Match day times: 1st Division 12noon at Tulkaba Park, Teralba
2nd Division 12noon at Max McMahon Oval, Rutherford.
CARNA ROOSTERS
