Purdon Scores Three For Scrappy Bears
www.qrl.com.au
BURLEIGH has escaped with a scrappy 38-24 win against Souths Logan at Davies Park on Saturday, after the plucky Magpies sorely tested the perennial heavyweights.
For the second game in a row the Black and Whites competed well without spearhead Brandon Costin, leading for the majority of the first half.
However Burleigh shot back from a 16-all stalemate at halftime and scored its first win in three weeks; winger Trent Purdon starring with three tries.
It was a runaway intercept by the speedster which effectively turned the shape of the game, outpacing the defence over 55m for the first points of the second half.
From there the Bears set about building an impressive total on paper, though coach Jimmy Lenihan?s heart could have done without a litany of simple errors.
Souths Logan began the match on the front foot when they scored through Western Australia junior Tyrone Coppedge inside five minutes. The winger put his body on the line to fly high and take a well-placed Paul Rolls kick.
Burleigh responded with Purdon?s opening try, zooming down the sideline in the 10th minute.
Keeping the pattern of five minute intervals going, Purdon then gave the Bears a 10-6 lead after Nick Parfitt put him in the clear with a great long ball.
In previous seasons Souths players would have dropped their heads, however they not only fought back, they took the lead again with consecutive tries.
Centre Kyle Lodge scored a simple four-pointer after the ball fell on the deck and the Burleigh defence held off. Daniel Sorbello subsequently scooped up the pill, putting Lodge outside his man with a curved run and short pass.
Moments after Paul Stanley began what was surely one of the best tries this season, scooting from dummy-half and splitting the Bears down the middle. His scampering legs lasted long enough for him to find Scott Marks, who then fed Lodge on the outside.
Putting the icing on an 80m effort, Lodge drew two men and then threw an ingenious reverse pass, finding Quentin Laulu-Togagae wrapping around on the inside.
Unfortunately for Magpie fans that was to be their last serious source of celebration for the remainder of the game.
Levelling the score for Burleigh, evergreen Aseri Laing grabbed his 78th Wizard Cup try moments before halftime, well set-up by Ben Black.
In the second 40 minutes Purdon, Black, John Flint and interchange forward Josh Blatch all added to the score for the visitors.
Sorbello pegged back a good one back for Souths Logan, coming after Lodge belted the ball free from Parfitt in a hard tackle. Yet it wasn?t enough to test the opposition, who had the luxury of winning without playing at their best.
Next week Burleigh has the bye, while Souths Logan clashes with arch rival Easts at Langlands Park, kicking off at 3pm on Saturday.
BURLEIGH 38 (Trent Purdon 3, Aseri Laing, Ben Black, John Flint, Josh Blatch tries; Nick Parfitt 5 goals)
defeated
SOUTHS LOGAN 24 (Tyrone Coppedge, Kyle Lodge, Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Daniel Sorbello, Mick Anschau tries; Tim Cannard 2 goals) at Davies Park.