Mounties suffer two-point loss

Souths get the chocolates in an Easter win over Mounties.

A bumper Easter crowd was on hand at a sun-drenched Aubrey Keech Reserve hoping for the home team to continue their strong start to the 2021 season. But they would leave disappointed as the visitors, with South Sydney emerging victorious to the tune of 24-22. 

Mounties were first to score with a try underneath the posts through prop forward Vincent Rennie who proved too difficult to stop close to the line, off a Bradley Deitz cut out pass, to give the hosts a 6-0 an early advantage after 10 minutes.

Mounties errors inside their own half finally enabled Souths to level the scores after 18 minutes through centre Steven Marsters, who went over untouched after some great lead up work by half Dean Hawkins caught the Mounties’ left edge defence napping.

Eventually Mounties broke the deadline with a barging try to backrower Dean Matterson to give the home side a handy 10-6 leading up to the half time break.

Ioelu had the opportunity to score in the corner with Mounties having made the overlap only for the winger to fumble the pass with the try line beckoning and Souths were perhaps a little fortunate to be trailing by four points at halftime.

Against the run of play Souths worked play down the entire length of the field before scoring an early second half converted try through fullback Jacob Gagai to suddenly lead for the first time, 12-10.

Souths, now playing with renewed confidence scored again in the 61st minute, opted to run it on the last tackle with Gagai finding prop James Hasson in support to score next to the posts and the visitors established the biggest lead of the game at 18-10.

A third consecutive try to Souths, saw them capitalising on a long-range intercept to score on the next play through Joe Lovodua, who all but sealed the first win of the season for the Rabbitohs.

Ioelu at his third attempt, finally pulled one back for Mounties with an individual effort in the 72nd minute but the home side by that stage had left it too little, too late despite trailing by just the 8 points.

Having lost Dean Matterson through concussion, Mounties centre Aaron Schoupp set up a grandstand finish scoring off a Souths error at the scrum, putting his side within just the two with three minutes remaining.

Schoupp looking threatening again after breaking through Mounties defensive line in a last effort play to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Despite his best efforts, play broke down soon after and the Rabbitohs prevailed to earn their first win of the season.

Rabbitohs 24 (Steven Marsters, Jacob Gagai, James Hasson, Joe Lovodua tries: Dean Hawkins 4 goals)

Def.

Mounties 22 (Vincent Rennie, Dean Matterson, Roman loelu, Aaron Schoupp tries: Aaron Schoupp 3 goals)