By Jake Bull
The Illawarra Cutters have made it two in-a-row with a hard-fought 22-14 victory over the Wyong Roos at Morrie Breen Oval, Wyong on Saturday.
With the conditions perfect for football, both sides were happy to throw the ball around in an exciting contest.
The first ten minutes was a close affair with both teams trading attacking sets and in the 12th minute with Wyong on the attack, a fight broke out.
Both the Cutters Nathan Green and Roos' Yileen Gordon were sent to the sin bin to calm down.
However, with both teams down a player they weren’t able to capatalise on the extra space.
In the 27th minute, the Cutters scored first after a perfectly placed cross-field kick from Shannon Crook found late-inclusion Kiti Glymin who scored yet another try for the season.
Crook converted from out wide for a 6-0 lead.
Not long after the opening try, Wyong hit back. Five-eighth Brock Molan saw a gap and burrowed his way over from close range.
Nathan Stapleton added the extras as both teams went into the break locked at 6-all.
The second half did not start well for the Cutters when Green was sin binned for a second time in the match for holding on too long when Wyong were on the attack.
From the resulting set, interchange forward Abraham Papalii used his size and strength to score under the posts.
Stapleton had the easy conversion as Wyong lead 12-6.
Three minutes later, the Cutters found their way back into the match.
A shift to the right ended with Kiti Glymin standing up his opposite winger and running round to improve the angle.
Crook again converted to bring the game back level at 12-all.
With 20 minutes remaining, a penalty close to line allowed Wyong to take the shot at goal and Stapleton made no mistake as the home side took a slender 14-12 lead.
With the game firmly in the balance, it was the visitors that held their nerve.
This time it was a shift to the left which ended with Sitiveni Moceidreke finding the try line and a 16-14 lead.
Right on the stroke of full-time, halfback Shannon Crook backed himself and found the try line.
He converted his own try as the Cutters game away with the 22-14 victory.
