Eagles send a warning shot to league rivals

David Hall

WET weather has started to cause a backlog of games in the Carlton Draught South Coast League competition with two first grade and many lower grade games washed out on the weekend.

The two first grade game splayed were played in contrasting conditions, with almost perfect conditions at Centenary Field and heavy going at Berry Showground.

At Centenary Field, reigning premiers Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles have shown that they again mean business after thumping the Warilla-Lake South Gorillas 46-4 in a one-sided local derby.

In a game that never reached any great heights, the Eagles led 22-0 at halftime and finished with eight tries to one to leave the Gorillas semi-final hopes hanging by a thread.

The Eagles took no time to get on the board when stand-in halfback Blake Glover and centre Simon Pimanovs combined on the left side of the field to send winger Matt Leabeater over in the corner.

Minutes later the Warilla defence was really found out when bustling second-rower Steve Butfield broke some flimsy defence and strode 60 metres straight through the middle to score under the posts. Sean Jenkins' conversion saw the Eagles grab a 10-0 lead.

Warilla then played their best football of the game and had the Eagles under plenty of pressure for long periods but couldn't crack the Eagles' defence.

With halftime just around the corner the Eagles probably nailed the gate shut on a Gorillas comeback with centres Sean Jenkins and Simon Pimanovs both scoring, with Jenkins landing both conversions.

Determined to stay in the hunt the Gorillas struck first in the second half when winger Dale Chapman finished off a promising backline movement, but that was as close as they were to get, with Pimanovs' second try getting the Eagles going again.

Jenkins also added a second try before prop Derek Gray scored and Pimanovs completed his hat-trick to complete a great day at the office for the competition leaders.

Jenkins made it 22 points for the day with seven goals from eight attempts.

Skipper Jade Lucas was in everything for the Eagles with great support from Pimanovs, Jenkins and Dean Gray, while none tried harder for the Gorillas then Damien Paulissen and Ben Harvey.

Meanwhile, a five-star performance from hooker Paul Skewes helped Berry-Shoalhaven Heads score a 16-4 victory over Shellharbour City on Sunday.

Despite the boggy conditions at the Berry Showground, the game was relatively error free, a try five minutes from time to Magpie prop Scott Morton deciding the issue.

Shellharbour were first to score after 15 minutes.

Sharks' winger Brendan Kelly just got his fingertips to a perfectly weighted grubber from Gary Breakspear, to give Shellharbour a 4-nil lead.

A penalty goal to Jono McCormack opened Berry's account after 20 minutes had passed.

Minutes later Skewes cut through the Sharks' defence and although a one-two with Trent Burns broke down in the tough conditions, a subsequent penalty goal to McCormack levelled the scores.

With four minutes left before the break Berry half-back Matt Gallagher put a grubber through for fullback Lloyd Williamson who somehow managed to get the ball own next to the posts, giving Berry a 10-4 half-time lead.

Early errors in the second half from the Magpies gave the Sharks opportunities at the northern end of the ground, but the Magpies defence held.

Defence dominated the second half as the playing surface deteriorated and there were few scoring opportunities for both sides.

In the end it was Skewes who from a standing start accelerated through the Sharks defence and he again found Burns in support who offloaded to Morton for the match winning try.

Skewes was best for Berry, while Rhys Sharpe and Kurt Simpson were tough up front.

Jason Wren-Pattison also did everything right in tricky conditions for a winger.

For Shellharbour Brendan Kelly, Aaron Carney and Phil Lopez tried hard in a beaten side.