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The NOLA Gold picked up their first win of the season on Sunday, and did so in emphatic fashion with a stunning 31-5 result over the Ironworkers. New York looked to be struggling in the heat and humidity of New Orleans. Both sides will be counting the cost with numerous players departing early with injury.
It was a scoreless opening 20 minutes as both teams took a tactical approach. The started to get the edge when Tom Florence won a turnover. He came close to scoring soon after but lost the ball in contact just short. The Ironworkers couldn’t clear their lines and the Gold kept the pressure on. After repeat collapses at the lineout, Brendon O’Connor was sent to the bin. A cheeky bit of work from Dylan Fawsitt spoiled one attack but eventually Rodney Iona slipped through a gap to break the deadlock.
That would be the only score of the first half, but it didn’t take long for the Gold to find another in the second. Just a minute after the restart a big hit from Jordan Jackson-Hope on Teihorangi Walden dislodged the ball and Iona was there first to snatch possession and sprint home from 60 meters to make it 14-nil for the home side.
Not long after the Gold were in again. New York conceded a penalty and Luke Campbell was quickest to react. The scrumhalf took a quick tap and dragged two forwards over the line for a try, with Iona again on target with the conversion.
A Pat O’Toole turnover deep in NOLA territory stifled a promising attack from the Ironworkers. Andrew Coe then cut around the outside and freed Connor Buckley, but he lost possession in the last-gasp tackle from Ross Depperschmidt as another opportunity went begging for the visitors.
Florence made his presence felt with a thumping tackle that led to a successful counter-ruck. The ball was quickly sent wide to a waiting Jordan Trainor, and there was no stopping the fullback as he sped away untouched down the left flank for the bonus-point try.
New York finally got on the board after an Iona clearance was charged down. Quick hands down the line and a miss-pass from O’Connor saw Fuatai finishing in the corner, but the angle was too much to navigate for Sam Windsor and the flags stayed down.
The Gold defense again stood strong and held up a lineout drive over the line. After working their way out of their half, Iona landed a penalty goal to wear down the clock. A second shot at goal rang off the uprights, but it was academic as result was already well beyond doubt.
It’s a short turnaround for NOLA who now have to back up their performance against a well-rested Utah Warriors at The Gold Mine on Saturday. New York return home for a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference final against the New England Free Jacks on Sunday.
SCORING
NOLA 31
Tries (4) – R. Iona 2 (29′, 41′), L. Campbell (45′), J. Trainor (52′)
Cons (4) – R. Iona 4/4 (30′, 42′, 46′, 53′)
Pens (1) – R. Iona 1/2 (73′)
NEW YORK 5
Tries (1) – F. Fuatai (59′)
Cons (0) – S. Windsor 0/1
YC (1) – B. O’Connor (26′)
TEAMS
NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams (17 Kevin Sullivan 29′), 2 Pat O’Toole (16 Eric Howard 50′), 3 Sean Paranihi (18 Dino Waldren 55′), 4 Cam Dolan (capt.), 5 Liam Hallam-Eames (19 Billy Stewart HT), 6 Malcolm May (21 Devin Short 30′), 7 Moni Tonga’uiha (20 Maciu Koroi HT), 8 Tom Florence, 9 Luke Campbell (22 Sebastiano Villani 75′), 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Dougie Fife, 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Harley Wheeler (23 Ross Depperschmidt 33′), 15 Jordan Trainor
NEW YORK IRONWORKERS
1 Chance Wenglewski (17 Tevita Langi 44′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 Kaleb Geiger 55′), 3 Nic Mayhew (18 Sam Davies 20′), 4 Nate Brakeley (capt.) (19 Charlie Hewitt 55′), 5 Hamish Dalzell, 6 Brad Tucker, 7 Brendon O’Connor (2 Dylan Fawsitt 72′), 8 Kara Pryor (20 Pago Haini 33′), 9 Connor Buckley (21 Eamonn Matthews 55′), 10 Sam Windsor, 11 Ed Fidow, 12 Jason Emery (22 Quinn Ngawati 53′), 13 Teihorangi Walden (23 John Powers 53′), 14 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 15 Andrew Coe
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Allen Alongi (USA) & Rob Halcomb (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
