Recap

Dirty Reds firsts continue promising start with win over Queanbeyan

By CHRIS GORDON

The Goulburn Dirty Reds first grade side continued their promising start to season 2022 with a 47-14 win over the Queanbeyan Whites.

In their second match of the season, and their first home match, the Reds were strong across the paddock, with solid set pieces, strong work at the breakdown and a very slick backline after taking a short period to find their feet.

It was a turn-around from last week’s match against Wests in which guest referee Justin Benn rarely used the whistle, and it took both teams a few minutes to adjust to strongly regulated interpretation.

Goulburn was first to score, and as it turned out the only team to score in the first half, with both the first and second tries to Ben Todkill in the 9^th and 18^th minutes, notching up his 250^th first-grade point and 50^th first grade try in the process.

Anthony Yeo, after a lengthy absence from the club, marked his Poidevin Oval return with a try and Josh Condylios finished the section with his own, putting Goulburn up 28-0 at the break.

The second half began much the same as the first with a ten minute sorting out period followed by a Goulburn try, this time to Brad Clements. Eric Brown scored next but then, with ten minutes remaining, Queanbeyan crossed the line.

Matt Spratley, looking very comfortable back in the backline, crossed for a Goulburn try five minutes later but Queanbeyan got the honour of sealing the match with a try on full time, just as their second grade side had done.

It was a strong but not entirely focused performance by the Reds, with Queanbeyan scoring all of their points in the final ten minutes and the Reds dominating more in the first half than the second.

It was also the first win for co-coaches Jackson Reardon and Mikael Webber and will have given them some points to concentrate on at training this week.

Webber, who converted five of six attempts with Reardon kicking the other, picked up the Players’ Player award for the second week in a row. Three best and fairest points went to Tim Moule, two to Brad Clements and one to Alec Palmer.

Next weekend Goulburn plays Uni-Norths at ANU North Oval in all grades starting with reserve grade at 10.55am.

Goulburn 47 (Ben Todkill 2, Anthony Yeo, Josh Condylios, Brad Clements, Eric Brown, Matt Spratley tries, Webber 6, Reardon 1 conversion) bt Queanbeyan 14.

Photos PETE OLIVER. Click through gallery using buttons below photos

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By the clock:

• 9 mins – Ben Todkill try, Mik Webber conversion (7-0)
• 18 mins – Ben Todkill try, Webber conversion (14-0)
• 20 mins – Queanbeyan yellow card
• 21 mins – Anthony Yeo try, Webber conversion (21-0)
• 30 mins – Josh Condylios try, Webber conversion (28-0)
• HALF TIME
• 46 mins – Brad Clements try (33-0)
• 52 mins – Eric Brown try, Webber conversion (40-0)
• 60 mins – Queanbeyan try, converted (40-7)
• 65 mins – Mat Spratley try, Jackson Reardon conversion (47-7)
• 69 mins – Queanbeyan try, converted (47-14)