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Perth weathers Tornadoes
September 23, 2007 - 8:06pm
Story by: Sportal
http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/perth_w.../section/50555
Perth Spirit has remained in firm contention for a finals berth with a come-from-behind 21-17 win over bottom-placed Ballymore Tornadoes in round seven of the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship in Brisbane.
With closest rivals the Rays and the Fleet both convincing victors, Perth succeeded in a match it had to win after surviving being reduced to 13 players before half-time.
The game contained snippets of entertaining rugby although was interrupted by a series of stoppages early with only replacement scrum-half James Stannard crossing for a try in the opening half-hour of play.
Stannard, starting ahead of Spirit captain Matt Henjak who was on the bench, finally found a gap to dart through after spirited Tornadoes defence had kept at bay the side which piled on 60 points against local rivals the Aces a week before.
The home side twice had possible tries chalked off for knock-ons before Leroy Houston's converted try gave the Tornadoes a 10-7 half-time lead.
Donovan Slade spilled an easy chance to score in the corner just six minutes into his Mazda ARC debut with referee Brett Bowden ruling a knock-on in the build-up while Houston also had his hands on the ball over the try-line before the referee again intervened.
However, Houston did cross six minutes before the interval while Perth was reduced to 13 men following two yellow cards in as many minutes to prop Gareth Hardy and wing Ed Jenkins.
Ill discipline has often cost the Tornadoes this season but this time the Spirit were the main offenders with Jenkins sinbinned for a professional foul after a stunning kick chase by speedster Blair Connor.
Connor would then have been a certainty to score his side's opener in the corner until Jenkins was found offside. Even though no penalty try was awarded the hosts still capitalised when Houston scored moments later.
Neither side added to the half-time score until lock Tom Hockings bundled over approaching the midway point of the second term to help the Spirit retake the lead.
Four minutes later, with the visitors enjoying their brightest spell, man-of-the-match Richard Brown broke away uncontested from halfway, slipped easily past Clinton Schifcofske and cantered home for Perth's third and decisive score.
No.8 Scott Higginbotham pulled one score back for the Tornadoes when he collected a pinpoint Schifcofske grubber kick but Ballymore, despite a late burst from captain Tom McVerry, couldn't find another.
The Spirit face league leaders the Western Sydney Rams in next week's crunch decider at Parramatta Stadium with a win necessary to guarantee a post season place.
Perth 21
Tries: Stannard, Hockings, Brown
Conversions: Daruda 3
Ballymore 17
Tries: Houston, Higginbotham
Penalty goals: Schifcofske
Conversions: Schifcofske 2