North Coast crushed under weight of Northern Rivers
FORMER Grafton Ghost winger Dan Lollback scored two tries as Northern Rivers booked their place in the Country Rugby League Tier Two semi-finals.
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RUGBY LEAGUE: The North Coast Dolphins were dealt a 42-point drubbing by Northern Rivers in their Country Championship clash at Coffs Harbour on Saturday.
The Round 2 representative showdown proved a one-sided affair with Northern Rivers running in 20 unanswered points in the first half on their way to a 56-14 victory.
"We just never came out of the box in the first half," North Coast coach Phil Trembath said.
"And when we did get the ball, we didn't respect it enough and gave it up too easy, and found ourselves in these conditions tackling too much in the first half.
"I said to them at half-time that they knew what they were doing wrong, I didn't think it would achieve anything by going in there and giving them a spray."
Trembath said his charges found their form in the second half but it was not enough against a classy Northern Rivers outfit.
"We just had to try to rectify what wasn't working for us which was completing our sets and dominating the tackle," he said.
"We did that to a certain degree in the second half but they were just too slick, too good."
Despite the scoreline Grafton Ghosts' representatives Dylan Collett, Mitch Gorman, Adam Slater and Ryan Binge all acquitted themselves well with Gorman snatching the Dolphins' first try deep into the second half.
Lollback stars for NRRRL
Former Grafton Ghosts' utility back Dan Lollback, who is playing for Byron Bay in 2016, scored two first half tries for Northern Rivers, who led 20-0 at the break.
Northern Rivers advance to the NSW Country Rugby League Championships Tier Two semi-finals against Riverina in Dubbo.
"We beat them two years ago and this side is just as good as what we had then," NRRRL president Brian Rix said.
"The boys were ecstatic after the game yesterday and we'll give it a good crack (at Dubbo)."
The score reached 32-0 when former South Grafton Rebels halfback Roy Bell converted his own try early in the second half. Ballina second-rower Anthony Colman, Cudgen's Jake Sands and Tweed Coast winger Guy Lanston all finished the game with try-scoring doubles.
"Roy was a menace with the ball and really kept the oppoostion guessing," Rix said.
"It was a really strong showing from our guys and we were pretty confident going in."
Marist Brothers' Jack Durheim and Mitchell Krause were stand-outs along with Bell.
In NRRRL games:
Murwillumbah scored a late try to snatch a 22-18 win over Evans Head at Stan Payne Oval, Evans Head, on Saturday. The Bombers will be forced to go without halfback Trevor Bolt again this weekend when he is away on representative duty.
Northern United had their third straight win when they belted Kyogle 56-14 at Clifford Park, Goonellabah, yesterday.
Tweed Coast recorded their second win of the season with an impressive 22-0 effort against Marist Brothers at Les Burger Field, Cabarita.
Cudgen front-rowers Caleb Ziebell and Simon Kelly led their side to a 21-14 win over Byron Bay at Red Devil Park, Byron Bay.
Casino defeated Ballina (score unavailable last night).
Originally published as North Coast crushed under weight of Northern Rivers
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