Eden Tigers RLFC News Article

Tigers lose to Moruya

June 1st 2009

The Great Southern Inn Eden Tigers lost to Moruya by 24 - 16 on Sunday. The Tigers had a ton of chances early in the game but could not convert them into points as their attacking game was stifled and disjointed at best. Several chances were spoiled early with perhaps the most exciting started by a Jackson break from dummy half. Michael Wykes backed up but the final pass went to a Moruya player and another scoring chance was missed.

Ian Smith converts the Tom Bell try

After 25m Moruya scored a good try against the run of play after sending the ball wide from deep in their own half. The conversion made the score 6 - 0. Eden forced a turnover after the kick off but another good opportunity led to nothing. Moruya kicked a penalty goal at the 29 m mark to stretch the lead to 8-0.
After 35 m Matt Bell grubbered into the in goal and managed to get a fingernail onto the ball for the Tigers opening try. The conversion made the scored 8-6 to Moruya. This may have been a good score to go into half time with but it was not be as an Eden mistake gave Moruya one last chance for the half and they duly converted . The conversion gave them a handy 14 - 6 lead at the break
The Tigers were asked to "take a look inside themselves and aim up" during the half time break.
After 7 minutes of the second half Eden's best player on the day, Tom Bell, managed to plant the ball over the line after seemingly being stopped twice, It was great individual effort. The conversion went wide. Moruya 14 - Eden 10.

Darren Griffen congratulates Tom Bell after a determined effort got him across the line early in the second half.

Eden were then placed under enormous pressure with Moruya having several sets on our line and Matt Bell being sinbinned for a professional foul. The Tigers defence somehow prevailed and was followed by a piece of brilliance from Brad Chatfield, who ran from one side of the field to the other, burst onto the pass 30 m out from his own line, broke the defence with a powerhouse run and gave a great ball to send Tom Bell over for his second try. The conversion gave Eden a 16-14 lead and the Chatfield effort should have been enough to inspire the boys to go on and win the game. However from the kick off Eden put on the "Irish mousetrap" play. This is where the first dummy half runs away leaving the ball on the ground and there is no second dummy half. The stunned Moruya winger then picks up the discarded ball and walks across the line to put his team back in the lead by 18-16. The Tigers had more chances to regain the lead but their attack was not good enough and Moruya scored a late converted try to seal their second win of the year by 24-16. Tom Bell, Brent Michelin and Ian Smith were the best for the Tigers but each and every player needs to take that look inside themselves and aim up big time or a semi final place will be something that the other teams in the competition secure.