Mounties have pulled off an emphatic come from behind win over Wyong at their home ground of Morrie Breen Oval at Kanwal on Saturday to make it two from two in the 2015 VB NSW Cup.
The first ten minutes of the match was a scrappy dour affair with both teams showing signs of nerves and it was the home team who posted first points when they crossed in the 12th minute to lead 6-0.
Mitch Barnett got Mounties level when he made a great break in the 20th minute and after disposing of several tacklers he got a neat pass off to Mitch Cronin who dived over and with the conversion by Sam Williams it was 6-6.
In the 29th minute Wyong edged back in front when kick rebound bounced nicely for Buddy Gordon and he crossed for a converted four pointer and the lead 12-6.
Just before the break Mounties spread the ball quickly to the right edge and a break by Dave Cahalane led to a try to Bill Tupou but the conversion was waved away and at the half time break Wyong led 12-10.
Immediately after the break Wyong were in again with a converted try to lead 18-10 and Mounties seemed to lose some of their composure when Dave Shillington was forced from the field with a suspected broken thumb in the 65th minute and soon after their meddle was tested again when a fight saw Kyle O'Donnell sin binned.
In the 68th minute Bill Tupou was in again when he crossed out wide but the conversion by Williams went wide with the Wyong team holding the lead 18-14 and the next six minute saw some frantic play by both teams in an effort to assert authority.
In the 76th minute Mounties were all over the home team and after several busts it was Jack Ahearn who scored the try when he picked up the ball from dummy half and forced his way over to level it at 18-18.
Sam Williams had the chance to put Mounties in front with the conversion however it came off his boot horribly and hooked to the left to leave the scores locked up.
From the restart, Jeff Lynch and Luke Page made big metres and put Mounties 40 metres out on the last tackles and Williams redeemed himself when calmly slotted a field goal to put Mounties in front 19-18.
Wyong tried for the obligatory short restart but Ahearn was able to gather the ball and from the play the ball Kurt Baptiste busted the line and after being tackled 20 metres out Mounties were awarded a penalty.
Williams was then able to convert the penalty as the siren sounded and close out the game 21-18 for Mounties to score their second win of the season.
In the first round of the Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield competitions Mounties faced off against Blacktown in both grades and came away with two wins, the Massey Cup triumphing by 22-18 in a tight game while the Shield had a comfortable win 52-24.
MOUNTIES 21 (B Tupou, J Ahearn, M Cronin, G Aiga tries; S Williams 2 goals; Williams field goal) def. WYONG ROOS 18 (M Ikavalu, B Molan, L Setu tries; T Cornish 3 goals)
