Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL): Wrap, results, standouts from round four

An NRRRL match was well in the balance until a crucial error turned the game on its head. Find out what happened.

Evans Head has continued its strong start to the season. Picture: DC Sports Photography

Evans Head has placed itself in amongst the early competition frontrunners after defeating Lower Clarence 32-16 at the Yamba Sporting Complex.

The game remained in the balance well into the second until a lethal 15-minute period saw the Bombers run in four tries to record a comfortable victory.

After a scoreless opening quarter of an hour a clever bit of playmaking got the Bombers on the board.

Receiving the ball 30m out from the Magpies’ line, Evans Head five-eighth Jordan Sly took on the blind side with a well-weighted grubber that sat up in front of oncoming Lower fullback Josh Donovan and allowed Justin Bleakley to run through for the first try of the match after 17 minutes.

The try gave the Bombers some momentum and they were over again soon after when prop Aidan Kennedy showed how dangerous he is from close range by charging over to put the visitors up 10-0.

Jordan Sly helped set up the opener. Picture: DC Sports Photography

Evans looked like taking its lead into the break, however the home side hit back very late in the half when Cody Walker crashed over from a couple of metres out to make it 10-6 at halftime.

The game remained tight, but 13 minutes after the restart the Magpies took the lead with some wonderful free-flowing footy.

It started deep in their own end when halfback Vincent Williams capitalised on an Evans head knock-on to charge up field. From here Lower threw the ball around, first right and then to the left as the Bombers’ defence struggled to get back behind the play.

The pressure paid off a couple of plays later when backrower Tristan Lumley went over to make it 12-10.

The home side had the lead and seemed to have the momentum, however an error when trying to mop up a bomb gave Evans Head a fresh set in dangerous territory.

A few moments later fullback Kiedan Hartley crashed over from dummy-half to once again put the Bombers ahead.

The game was going from end to end and Lower had a golden opportunity to hit back straight away, with forward Sanjae Unu-Kini put through a gap, only to drop the ball with the line begging.

The knock-on proved to be a decisive turning point as the visitors ran away with the game.

From the ensuing set the Bombers went the length of the field as winger Malaki Ferguson scored down the left touchline to stretch the scoreline out to 20-12.

Cody Walker crossed for Lower. Picture: DC Sports Photography

A few minutes later Evans Head went in again when Lower failed to deal with a bomb from David Gibbons and centre Jonathon Robinson picked up the scraps to score.

Then when hooker Jesse Beauchamp darted over from the dummy-half, the Bombers had run in four tries in 16 minutes to take a 20-point lead and put the game to bed.

And while Uni-Kini scored late, it was just a consolation as Evans Head finished 16-point winners to pick up the team’s third win in four games and continue the side’s strong start of the season.

Evans Head 32 (Bleakley, Kennedy, Hartley, Ferguson, Robinson, Beauchamp tries; Gibbons four goals) defeated Lower Clarence 16 (Walker, Lumley, Unu-Kini tries; Byers two goals)