Ironworkers blast through battered Gold in New York

The New York Ironworkers redeemed their earlier defeat in New Orleans with an emphatic 54-19 victory over the Gold at Memorial Field on Sunday. NOLA lost one starter before kickoff and three more in the first quarter, with numerous mistakes compounding a miserable afternoon for the visitors.

Eric Howard was a late withdrawal before kickoff requiring Matt Harmon to start at hooker for the Gold. The team was further shaken when Dougie Fife was forced off with under four minutes on the clock for a head injury assessment that he would not return from.

An early opportunity for New York was spoiled when Nick Feakes couldn’t quite corral a chip ahead from Teofilo Fidow. Instead it was the Gold who struck first, with a multi-phase attack ending with JP du Plessis blasting through on a short ball from Jordan Jackson-Hope. The conversion from Jackson-Hope was on target to make it a full seven.

New York fired back through some ambitious play that started in their own end. Fa’asiu Fuatai’s chip ahead was regathered by Monate Akuei. The ball was recycled and spun wide right. A pass from Kara Pryor intended for Andrew Coe was deflected by a NOLA player but it was Connor Buckley who scooped it up, with Coe taking a pop off the deck into the corner for the try. Jason Emery nailed the extras to draw the scores level.

Disaster struck for NOLA just after the 20-minute mark. Brad Tucker surged upfield and then Emery hit the gap between Billy Stewart and Devin Short. The two Gold forwards collided head-on and both fell to the floor, with Emery scampering in for another try.

Play was stopped for several minutes to attend to the fallen players, with Stewart carted off and Short failing his HIA. William Waguespack come into the second row with front rower Alex Lopeti summoned to fill in on the flank. Emery converted his own try and New York had the lead.

When the game resumed there was little life in the visitors. A driving maul put them on the retreat and Fidow looped around into the midfield to cross untouched. Immediately following the restart Buckley’s box kick was left to bounce, with Akuei hacking it on. Fuatai was there first and scored in the corner to claim the bonus point with only 30 minutes on the clock.

Buckley was the next to score. Emery went quick at a penalty and then Fidow broke free, chipping ahead for his scrumhalf to score. The last act of the half would see Dylan Fawsitt crossing on the end of the lineout drive after Emery had pinned NOLA in their end with a 50-22. At the break the scoreboard read 40-7 to the home side.

Barely a minute into the second half New York were in again. Emery chipped through the line for Fuatai, with Teihorangi Walden the link man for Emery to score his brace. Moments later Coe was in for a double when Akuei picked up a loose ball and Fidow went on another mazy run, connecting with his fellow winger who cut back inside the cover.

The Ironworkers eased up and Cam Dolan sprinted clear from halfway, toeing the ball to himself after a loose pass went to deck. Fresh legs entered for the Gold and the forwards took it on until du Plessis broke through for his second try.

To their credit NOLA came close to scoring a fourth try but poor execution ultimately saw their efforts fall short. The final quarter fizzled out with neither side able to make any impact on the scoresheet.

It’s a short turnaround for NOLA who will have to find their mojo before the league-leading San Diego Legion arrive at The Gold Mine on Saturday. New York will take their new-found confidence on the road to play the Chicago Hounds on Sunday.

 

SCORING

NEW YORK 54
Tries (8) – A. Coe 2 (9′, 44′), J. Emery 2 (21′, 41′), T. Fidow (28′), F. Fuatai (30′), C. Buckley (33′), D. Fawsitt (40’+1′)
Cons (7) – J. Emery 7/8 (10′, 21′, 29′, 34′, 40’+2′, 42′, 46′)

NOLA 19
Tries (3) – J. du Plessis 2 (5′, 56′), C. Dolan (48′)
Cons (2) – J. Jackson-Hope 2/3 (6′, 49′)

 

TEAMS

NEW YORK IRONWORKERS
1 Chance Wenglewski (17 Tevita Langi 46′-52′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 DaQuan Perry 60′), 3 Kaleb Geiger (18 Sam Davies 57′), 4 Nate Brakeley (capt.), 5 Hamish Dalzell (19 Charlie Hewitt 52′), 6 Brad Tucker, 7 Monate Akuei, 8 Kara Pryor (20 Benjamín Bonasso 46′), 9 Connor Buckley (21 Cristian Rodriguez 52′), 10 Jason Emery (22 Sam Windsor 52′), 11 Teofilo Fidow, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Andrew Coe (23 Brooklyn Hardaker 46′), 15 Nick Feakes

NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams (17 Kevin Sullivan 52′), 2 Matt Harmon (16 Chris Schade 52′), 3 Sean Paranihi (18 Dino Waldren 52′), 4 Cam Dolan (capt.), 5 Billy Stewart (19 William Waguespack 21′), 6 Malcolm May, 7 Devin Short (20 Alex Lopeti 21′), 8 Moni Tonga’uiha, 9 Luke Campbell (21 Damian Stevens 60′), 10 Rodney Iona, 11 Aaron Matthews, 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis, 14 Ross Depperschmidt (23 Jordan Trainor 57′), 15 Dougie Fife (22 Harley Wheeler 4′)

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Lash (New Zealand)
Assistants: Lex Weiner (USA) & Miles McIvor (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)