Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles fell agonisingly short in round 25 of the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, going down to the Western Suburbs Magpies 40-36 in a high-scoring affair at Lidcombe Oval today.
Blacktown looked to have had the victory wrapped up with a try in the 72nd minute to prop Toafofoa Sipley, but the home side had the last say in the match.
A try with two minutes to play snatched the win out of the Sea Eagles’ grasps, with the side already unable to make the finals this season.
Despite the loss, there was still some positive aspects to take away, with the side playing free-flowing football across both sides of the field and showing their ability to punish their opponents with long-range tries.
Blacktown scored four tries in the first half and held a 24-16 lead at halftime. The side held the lead in the match for 62 minutes in total, but ultimately struggled in defence at times and let the home side capitalise on their mistakes.
The Sea Eagles close out their 2024 campaign next week, hoping to put a dent in the Bulldogs momentum ahead of their finals campaign.
Blacktown scored the opening try in the 10th minute through winger Watson Heleta. A quick shift freed up space for centre Jaxson Paulo to pop the ball out to Heleta who dived over in the corner for a 4-0 lead.
Quick play the balls allowed the Sea Eagles to surge downfield as hooker Jake Simpkin, who played 25 games for the Magpies over five years, crashed over next to the posts three minutes later for a 10-0 scoreline.
The home side bounced back quickly after conceding two tries and scored in the left corner through former Manly Junior Josh Feledy in the 17th minute to cut the deficit to 10-6.
Blacktown scored two quick tries in a three-minute period to shock the home side and silence the crowd.
Forward Aitasi James scored in the 24th minute after a well-timed short ball at the line from lock Aaron Woods. Second-rower Caleb Navale streaked down the sideline with a barnstorming run three minutes later to race away and beat the full-back to score for a 22-6 scoreline.
The Magpies regained their composure and matched the Sea Eagles to score two tries in a three-minute period.
Five-eighth Brent Naden crashed over in the 32nd minute and set up a try for hooker Tally Da Silva three minutes later, cutting Blacktown’s lead to 22-16.
Magpies half-back James Valevatu was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul on Blacktown full-back Clayton Faulalo ten metres out from his own line. Paulo converted the penalty goal to give the Sea Eagles a 24-16 lead at halftime.
A mistake by the Sea Eagles in their own ten-metre line gifted the Magpies a try two minutes into the second half through second-rower Charbel Tasipale, cutting their deficit to 24-22.
The Sea Eagles capitalised on the home side's fatigue and stormed downfield as Aaron Woods scored his first try in Blacktown colours in the 50th minute. A quick break down the left edge allowed for a quick play by the ball by Navale in the Magpies’ red-zone. Moments later, the ball was shifted to Woods who scored under the posts untouched for a 30-22 scoreline.
The Magpies quickly bounced back as Feledy crashed over for his second try of the match four minutes later, cutting the lead back to two points at 30-28.
A penalty 32 metres out from Blacktown’s line saw the Magpies take the shot at two points. Da Silva successfully converted the penalty goal to level the scores at 30-all with 13 minutes to play.
Momentum shifted in favour of the home side as they hit the lead for the first time in the match. Naden dived over in the corner one minute after their penalty goal for his second try of the match to give his side a 34-30 lead.
Blacktown may have been down, but they weren’t out. Prop Toafofoa Sipley took a short ball metres out from the line, spun out of a tackle and dived under the posts to score, regaining the lead for his side in the process and taking the score to 36-34 with six minutes remaining.
In their last roll of the dice, the Magpies broke downfield with a break in play by Feledy. The centre skipped past two defenders, sized up Faulalo and passed infield to Da Silva who was chasing in support. Da Silva dived over under the posts to score his second try of the match, sealing a 40-36 victory for the Magpies and breaking the hearts of the Blacktown side.
The Sea Eagles take on the Bulldogs next week in the final round of the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Belmore Sports Ground on Saturday August 31 at 12pm.
Magpies 40 (Tries: Feledy 2, Naden 2, Da Silva 2, Tasipale. Conversions: Da Silva 6/8) d. Sea Eagles 36 (Tries: Heleta, Simpkin, James, Navale, Woods, Sipley. Conversions: 6/7)
