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The Toronto Arrows overcame a resilient Houston SaberCats 19-10 in front of a vocal crowd at AVEVA Stadium on Saturday evening. Staunch defense from the home side limited the visitors to only two tries in the first half despite owning the vast amount of territory and possession.
An early try looked for all money to be on the cards for the Arrows. Houston were on their heels but Spencer Jones couldn’t hold on to Will Kelly’s pass and the opportunity went begging.
It was only temporary respite. Toronto were camped in Houston’s end for 20 minutes but time and again mistakes at the last moment denied them a score.
At last the line was breached. Jones sucked in two defenders on the short side of a scrum. When the ball was recycled Manuel Montero danced down the sideline and in for the try. Will Kelly couldn’t convert from the tough angle but the Arrows were on the board.
Houston finally got possession on Toronto’s side of halfway but their stay was short lived. Toronto poured on the pressure again and after a series of team penalties Nick Boyer was sent to the sideline to leave the Cats down a man for 10 minutes.
Not long after Tomás de la Vega grounded the ball with a defender on his back with Kelly adding the extras. Houston would close out scoring in the half, however, with Sam Windsor landing a penalty goal to make it 12-3 at the intermission.
Boyer returned early in the second half and the SaberCats started to hit their stride. Veramu Dikidikilati broke free and kicked ahead but with Boyer and Gastón Mieres in hot pursuit, and it was the Uruguayan flyer who made it just in time for a 22 dropout.
Toronto pressed back into Houston’s end thanks to a Patrick Parfrey line break, but then turned down two chances to kick for posts. Their gamble paid off as Manuel Diana muscled over from close range for try number three. Kelly’s conversion hit the right upright and bounced through to make it 19-3.
The Arrows searched for the bonus point but instead it would be Houston with the final say. Parfrey’s clearance attempt was charged down by Cecil Garber and the flanker pounced on the ball for the try. Time would expire before Houston could find enough for a losing bonus point.
It’s a much-needed bye week for the Arrows after nine long weeks of action. They return on Saturday, May 29, with a road game against the New England Free Jacks. Houston stay at home for a match against Old Glory DC next Saturday.
SCORING
HOUSTON 10
Tries – C. Garber (75’)
Cons – S. Windsor 1/1 (76’)
Pens – S. Windsor 1/1 (40′)
Yellow cards – N. Boyer (35’)
TORONTO 19
Tries – M. Montero (21’), T. de la Vega (37’), M. Diana (64’)
Cons – W. Kelly 2/3 (38’, 65’)
TEAMS
HOUSTON SABERCATS
1 Nicolás Solveyra (18 Nik Hildebrand 68’), 2 Patrick Donovan (3 Charlie Connolly 71’), 3 Charlie Connolly (17 Nikoloz Khatiashvili 53′), 4 Van Stewart (20 Bronson Teles 76’), 5 Apisai Tauyavuca (19 Jérémy Lenaerts 59′), 6 Cecil Garber, 7 Diego Magno, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 Nick Boyer (21 Zachary Short 79′), 10 Robbie Povey, 11 Paula Balekana, 12 Joe Thomas (22 Taylor Howden 73’), 13 Veramu Dikidikilati, 14 Jake Hidalgo (23 Zack Godfrey 73’), 15 Sam Windsor (capt.)
Not used: 16 Liam Murray
TORONTO ARROWS
1 Pat Lynott (17 Cole Keith 57′), 2 Andrew Quattrin (16 Jack McRogers 57′), 3 Tyler Rowland (18 Gastón Cortes HT), 4 Adrian Wadden (19 Mike Sheppard 59′), 5 Paul Ciulini, 6 Tomás de la Vega (20 Kolby Francis 70′), 7 Lucas Rumball (co-capt.), 8 Manuel Diana, 9 Ross Braude (21 Andrew Ferguson 63’), 10 Will Kelly, 11 Manuel Montero (23 Mitch Richardson 70′), 12 Spencer Jones, 13 Ben LeSage (co-capt.) (22 Guiseppe du Toit 59′), 14 Gastón Mieres, 15 Patrick Parfrey
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Kat Roche (USA) & Butch Neuenschwander (USA)
