Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Tight Fight For Cutters

Round 11 on June 11 of the Hostplus Cup was a game where Mackay Cutters had it all to prove against a Redcliffe Dolphins side that had leapfrogged them on the ladder the week before.

The sugar city’s team were sitting in tenth ahead of the game at BB Print Stadium and were hoping to jump all the way up to eighth, should they best the traveling Dolphins and other results go their way.

It turned out to be a potential game of the season; a tight affair that could have gone either way in the end.

Cutters made their mark on the scorecard first, with Jack Paskins crossing in the seventeenth after crashing through the Dolphins’ wide players.

It wasn’t a long lead, as Dolphins equalised just six minutes later with their own thumping try. The travelling side scored again shortly after with another bang.

There wasn’t too much technical glory in the move as Dolphins’ centre Valynce Te Whare burst through the Cutters backline.

Redcliffe had all the momentum and scored again, capitalising on a fumble. The Dolphins had a halftime lead of two points.

Cutters came out the blocks raring to go, scoring off a fumble from the travelling team this time in the 47th, but Dolphins scored again shortly after, not to be outdone.

The 63rd minute, Dolphins crossed again and again three minutes later with Valynce Te Whare. The game looked over before Cutters came roaring back.

Cutters scored in the 71st, the 76th, and the 78th in one of the closest finishes this season, just losing out by 2.

Cutters 32-34 Dolphins.

The Mackay team head off to Tweed Heads this weekend for a 3.00pm fixture against Seagulls – who sit comfortably in 7th.

Dolphins now move on to a home game against Capras, which will be a tough ask for the Redcliffe side as Capras are placed in fine form. Cutters could capitalise on ladder position if they win and results again go their way.

Cutters were desperately close to a win in their matchup against Redcliffe Dolphins

There was plenty of try scoring but not much tackling

Cutters came away with a lesson on defensive lapses and concentration after losing by just two points

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