The Cessnock Goannas over-ran South Newcastle to score a 22-12 win in veteran forward Brendan Hlad's 150th first grade game.
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The Goannas led 10-4 at half-time but should have been further in front.
Souths levelled the scores with a converted try after the break and took the lead with a penalty goal awarded after a clash of bodies as players flew to contest the ball.
After losses in their first two home games, the Goannas were determined not to disappoint their fans, Hlad and Jacob McKendry who was playing his 100th grade game.
They rolled up their sleaves in the final 10 minutes and with Paul Carter, Hlad and Marvin Filipo leading away scored two converted tries to seal the win.
Filipo was instrumental in the final try with two huge tackles near the try line unsettling Southhs
Hlad showed all his experience to grab the ball when the Souths failed to clean it up from dummy-half and sent Carter across the line.
“It’s good to get 150 first grade games with a great club and it was even better to get the win. Just happy to get the win,” Hlad said after the win.
Asked about his quick thinking to exploit the South’s defensive lapse at dummy-half, Hlad said: “It’s in the rules, if there’s no dummy-half you play the ball as you see it .”
Goannas coach Al Lantry said it was a stressful game but the Goannas had put in an outstanding effort to win.
“We kept them in the game but for us to get in the arm wrestle and push through it and come out the other side is a massive credit to the boys out there today,” Lantry said.
“The thing I spoke to them about this week was our starts and finishes have not been the best. We were down in the dumps there for a bit but we pushed through and some key players really stood up there in the end to finish hard.
“They got us going direct again after we had lost our shape a bit.”
Lantry was delighted with Filipo’s defensive efforts which set up the final try.
“That’s little things that change a game. You can’t coach that, you can tell people week in week out that the one per centers matter but for them to react to a one per cent play is attitude.
“Marvin stood up when he was needed. He just buckled two blokes over and turned the ball over and then we capitalise off that.
“It’s a credit to Marvin, a positive attitude and his one per cent effort changed the game and some good footy smarts from Brendan. Play to the whistle, pick it up and give it to them.”
Lantry said the reaction of the team to get the win in Hlad and McKendry’s milestone game was about respect for a teamate.
“Brendan’s now a life member and Jacob is on his way,” he said.
“For team members to react to a milestone it just shows credit and respect, I was so happy that they could do it for Brendan and Tisser.”