Late score gives New York win over heartbroken Seattle

A late penalty goal from Dan Hollinshead gave Rugby United New York a 23-21 win over Seattle at Starfire Stadium on Sunday evening. It was a reinvigorated Seawolves side that jumped out to a 21-6 halftime lead but were left heartbroken by New York’s second half resolve.

The first try came from a set move off a lineout. Shalom Suniula passed back inside to an unmarked Ross Neal coming on an angle from the left side. A left-foot step took the giant winger past the cover and in for the score from halfway. Kieran Joyce tacked on the extra two.

Joyce missed a shot at the posts before New York finally got a scoring opportunity. Dan Hollinshead was on target with a three-pointer to open his team’s account.

Seattle turned down another chance to kick in favor of the corner but a Nate Brakeley turnover spoiled their plans. Nick Civetta was replaced by Kyle Sumsion after taking a head knock, but New York stayed in the present and won a kickable penalty that Hollinshead duly slotted to all but close the gap.

A mistake from New York handed a second try to Neal. JP Smith caught Andy Ellis from behind. The ball was spilled in the tackle and Neal was there to snatch it up and race into the corner. Joyce made good on the sideline conversion.

The Seawolves won a penalty and opted for the lineout. This time it paid off with Conor McGill the catcher and James Malcolm the man to score on the back of the driving maul. Joyce landed the conversion to make it 21-6. He would have one last crack at the posts on the stroke of halftime but it was wide of the mark and the flags stayed down.

With their lineout struggling, New York summoned Dylan Fawsitt from the bench early in the second half and he had an immediate impact. Hollinshead rejected a chance for three and kicked to the corner. Fawsitt was accurate with his first throw and the drive worked a charm with the hooker on the back for the try. The extra two were added by Hollinshead.

The two sides wrestled for superiority and it was the visitors who had the edge. A burst from Fawsitt put the Seawolves on the retreat and Hanco Germishuys muscled through three defenders on the post to reach the line for a vital score, with Hollinshead again tacking on two more from the tee.

It was the flyhalf who was the hero at 76 minutes with another clean strike on a penalty kick to give New York their first lead of the game. Seattle regained possession in the dying moments and worked their way in for a penalty, but Turner’s attempt drifted wide and the final whistle sounded.

Both teams return to action in a week’s time. Sunday’s early game will feature the unbeaten LA Giltinis traveling to face New York at a venue to be confirmed. The late game sees the Seawolves playing host to the San Diego Legion in a rematch of the 2019 Championship Final.

 

SCORING

SEATTLE 21
Tries – R. Neal 2 (6’, 31’), J. Malcolm (38’)
Cons – K. Joyce 3/3 (7′, 32’, 39’)
Pens – K. Joyce 0/2, M. Turner 0/1

NEW YORK 23
Tries – D. Fawsitt (47’), H. Germishuys (72’)
Cons – D. Hollinshead 2/2 (48’, 73’)
Pens – D. Hollinshead 3/3 (16’, 24’, 76’)

 

TEAMS

SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Djustice Sears-Duru (17 Mike Shepherd 70’), 2 James Malcolm (16 Obert Nortjé 52’), 3 Jake Ilnicki (18 Gavin Prentice 74’), 4 Conor McGill, 5 FP Pelser (19 Eric Duechle 52’), 6 Tommy Clark, 7 Andrew Durutalo, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.), 9 JP Smith (21 Devereaux Ferris 66’), 10 Kieran Joyce (22 George Barton 61’), 11 Aaron Matthews (23 Nick Taylor 76’), 12 Shalom Suniula, 13 Seta Tuilevuka, 14 Ross Neal, 15 Mat Turner

Not used: 20 Jacob Flores

RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK
1 James Rochford (16 Dylan Fawsitt 45’), 2 Wilton Rebolo (17 Anthony Parry 70’), 3 Zak Taulafo (18 Samu Tawake 45’), 4 Nate Brakeley, 5 Nick Civetta (19 Kyle Sumsion 21’), 6 Hanco Germishuys, 7 Kara Pryor (20 Benjamín Bonasso 61’), 8 Evan Mintern, 9 Andy Ellis (capt.) (21 Conor McManus 70’), 10 Dan Hollinshead, 11 Quinn Ngawati, 12 Will Leonard (22 Harry Bennett 65’), 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Luke Hume (23 Joel Miranda 37’), 15 Ben Foden

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Jack Gohl (Australia)
Assistants: Denny Russell (USA) & Brett Johnson (USA)