Jets take the points on their second visit this year to the Coalfields

Jets second half points shut-out lays the groundwork for a valuable away win.

This match was part of the annual NSWRL Country Round of ISP NSW matches.

Newcastle Rugby League fixtures between Cessnock and Lakes United were played as curtain-raisers to the ISP NSW match.

Newtown 24:

Jacob Gagan, Kurt Capewell, Matt Evans, Jordan Drew tries; Kurt Capewell 3, Fa’amanu Brown goals

defeated

Wentworthville 10:

Bureta Faraimo, Honeti Tua tries; Cameron King goal.

Half-Time: 10-all.

Referee: Matt Noyen.

Touch Judges: Benjamin Teague and John Woods.

Playing surface: Excellent.

Weather: Fine, cool, 18 degrees Celsius. There had been light rain earlier in the day.

Newtown’s team:

Arana Taumata, Travis Robinson, Jordan Drew, Matt Evans, Jacob Gagan, Josh Cleeland, Fa’amanu Brown, David Fifita, Matt McIlwrick, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Anthony Moraitis, Kurt Capewell, Jason Schirnack. Bench: Junior Roqica, Kurt Kara, Jaline Graham, Kurt Dillon. Coach: Greg Matterson.

Wentworthville:

Kieren Moss, Bureta Faraimo, Jake Butler-Fleming, Scott Schulte, Honeti Tuha, Michael Doolan, Mitch Cornish, Rory O’Brien, Cameron King, Daniel Alvaro, James Hasson, Cody Nelson (Capt), Joseph Ualesi. Bench: Blake Cook, Adrian Ha’angana, Aaron Pene, Andrew Pearn. Coach: Joey Grima.

Other ISP NSW matches played on Saturday, 30th April:

Wests Tigers 36 d North Sydney 18; Mounties 30 d Penrith 18; Wyong 28 d Newcastle Knights 6.

& played on Sunday, 1st May:

New Zealand Warriors 42 Canterbury-Bankstown 12; Manly-Warringah 42 Illawarra Cutters 12.

How the NSWRL has reported on the Wentworthville-Newtown match: http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/04/30/isp_report_wentworth.html

Here’s the ISC NSW competition table after nine rounds:

http://www.nswrl.com.au/intrust-super-premiership-nsw/ladder1.html

Timeline of the Wentworthville v Newtown ISP NSW match:

4.45pm: Kick-off at Cessnock Sports Ground.

4th min: Matt Evans held up in the south-western corner. Jets turn the ball over on the next play.

9th min: Bureta Faraimo scores in north-eastern corner. Not converted by Cameron King. Wentworthville leads 4-0.

11th min: Newtown gets the ball back from the kick-off.

12th min: Try to Jacob Gagan in south-west corner. Not converted by Fa’amanu Brown. 4-all.

16th min: Following a penalty to Newtown, Kurt Capewell scores for Newtown. His try was scored 11 metres in from the western touch-line. Fa’amanu Brown was successful with the conversion attempt. Newtown 10-4.

21st min: Josh Cleeland kicks into the Wenty south-western in-goal and they are forced into a goal-line drop-out situation.

33rd min: Honeti Tua scores from dummy-half for Wentworthville. The try was scored 9 metres in from the western touch-line and is converted by Cameron King. 10-all.

Half-Time: 10-all.

Newtown had been placed under considerable pressure in the latter stages of the first half, with Wentworthville having several sets of possession in a row. Errors by the Jets contributed to this dearth of possession.

It could be said though that Newtown had shown more enterprise when they had the ball in the first forty minutes.

Penalties were 3-all at the break. Newtown’s completions rate in the first half was 14 out of 18.

There had been a respectable attendance at the Cessnock v Lakes United Newcastle Rugby League fixture prior to the ISP NSW match, but most of the crowd had left during the first half of the Wenty-Jets game.

The opinion was expressed that whichever side held onto the ball and minimised their errors in the second half would win the game.

Second Half:

Newtown’s short kick-off didn’t go the required ten metres and Wenty received a penalty.

Still 10-all after 50 minutes.

52nd min: The Jets put the ball through the hands and Matt Evans scored in the north-eastern corner. The try wasn’t converted by Fa’amanu Brown. Newtown leads 14-10.

56th min: Junior Roqica has a try disallowed for obstruction near the try-line.

57th min: Wenty kicks the ball out on the full but the Jets turn the ball over in the next set, within 20 metres of the Wenty goal-line.

70th min: Penalty to Newtown, 20 metres in from the western touch-line and 30 metres out from the posts. The Jets opt to take the shot at penalty goal option. Kurt Capewell kicks the penalty goal. Newtown leads 16-10.

73rd min: David Fifita returns the Wenty kick-off like a runaway freight train. He carried the ball some 50 metres, passed the ball to Travis Robinson, who then passed to Kurt Capewell, and then finally to Jordan Drew who scored under the posts.

74th min: Kurt Capewell converted the try. Newtown leads 22-10.

75th min: Wenty kicks out on the full.

80th min: Last minute penalty to Newtown, 15 metres out from and in front of the posts. Kurt Capewell kicks the penalty goal. Newtown 24-10.

Full-Time: Newtown 24 defeated Wentworthville 10.

Newtown Jets coach Greg Matterson says after the game that the team’s second half defence was very pleasing. He reminded his players that with the general bye next weekend, the Jets’ next game is a blockbuster at Henson Park on the 14th May against the competition front-runners, Mounties.

The penalty count for the game was 7-all. Newtown’s second half completion rate was 14 out of 20.

Wenty had a better second half completion rate, but they were a bit more predictable with the ball and how they played out their sets. They were well-disciplined and methodical, but didn’t always stretch the capacity of Newtown’s defence through their choice of attacking options.

Newtown’s try in the 73rd minute was a superb piece of Rugby League involving David Fifita, Travis Robinson, Kurt Capewell and the former Brisbane Bronco and Junior Kangaroo Jordan Drew. This game-breaking try will be must-see viewing when the game’s highlights package is placed on the NSWRL website (www.nswrl.com.au)

Matterson nominated hard working lock-forward Jason Schirnack as his best on ground whilst former Sydney Rooster, Brisbane Bronco and Ipswich Jet second-rower Kurt Capewell had his best game of the season. Hooker Matt McIlwrick served as captain in Mitch Brown’s absence and he played the full 80 minutes, setting a wonderful example of team leadership and endurance. Kurt Kara played very strongly as a back-rower. Giant front-rower David Fifita was again very effective, culminating in his monster run that ended with Jordan Drew scoring. Five-eighth and former Ipswich Jet Josh Cleeland was again an initiator of many of Newtown’s best attacking plays. Winger Jacob Gagan maintained his impressive 2016 form.