16 May 2009
Perth-Bayswater downed a young Wests-Subiaco first grade 48-12 at Pat O'Hara Reserve on Saturday. Despite the score, the team was disappointing in its execution with five or six opportunities missed as players took selfish options. The team performed in spurts while the young opposition failed to roll over and competed for the full 80 minutes. Perth-Bayswater led 24-7 at half time and while the team did enough to win by a healthy margin, a patchy performance like this will prove costly against the competition's better teams. Tries were scored by number 8 Pierre Roberts (3), lock Jarrell Te Kahu (2), wing Nathan Hunt (2) and flanker Cameron Stonely, and halfback Toby Hohapata kicked three conversions. Roberts, flanker Cameron Stonely and lock Jarrel Te Kahu performed well, while in the back line Hunt and fullback Gareth Cossey were dangerous.
In other grades, seconds lost to Wests 9-11, thirds lost to Wests 12-8, fourths (aka fifths) defeated Wests 24-7, under 20s lost to Wests 29-12, under 18s defeated Wests 25-0 and the women defeated Kalamunda 30-0. Go girls!
Filthy Fifths stormed up the ladder to take second spot from Westss on Saturday. In a third versus second place clash it was the men in black who came out on top with a convincing 24-7 win.
Perth was first on the board when "Chief", playing in his first match of the season, showed he still has the elusive running game to fool the best of them by slipping through a gap to score. "Barr Fridge" popped over the conversion to make it 7-0. This try was followed by a try to the ever-present Tony Peperoni, on hand to take a pop pass from Adrian who was brought down short of the line in the corner. "Barr Fridge" managed to fluke the conversion with the ball bouncing off the left upright to go ahead14-0.
West replied with a try of their own to make things interesting at 14-7 in the second half but Perth kept to the task in front of them and were rewarded a penalty right in front of the posts when the ref finally had enough of their hands in the ruck, as well as not staying on their feet. While one of the Wests boys went to the bin for a rest, Shane popped over the goal and the score moved to 17-7. Perth kept the pressure on and from a move near the West's line, the evergreen Toots was propelled over the line by his fellow forwards to seal the match 24-7 with a converted try.
Good performances from Phil "Legend of the Valleys" Oliver at fullback, Barney on the side of the scrum, Ian "The Rock" Hardwick and Pedro on the wings, while Roger kept things tight in the front row.