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The San Diego Legion stretched their winning streak to nine games after a 26-12 win at The Gold Mine on Saturday, but it was far from easy. It took until the 78th minute for the result to be secured as an injury-depleted NOLA put in a brave performance against the odds.
Lightning delayed kickoff by almost an hour, and when the game finally started NOLA had already been forced to make two changes to their lineup. Eric Howard and Harley Wheeler were both late scratches. Matt Harmon slotted in at hooker with Cam Falcon called up as emergency cover on the bench. Aaron Matthews came in on the wing in Wheeler’s place.
Both sides had scoring opportunities in the first quarter that went begging. A line break from Nate Augspurger was stopped cold by a flying Reece Botha tackle. At the other end a knock-on inside San Diego’s 5-meter line spoiled a NOLA attack. Botha would get a chance to put three on the board from the tee but it skewed wide to the left of his target.
The first score finally came after the hydration break. Jason Higgins chipped over the defensive line and two NOLA players collided in the air, with Finn Kearns snapping up the loose ball. One quick pass and Tiaan Loots was in the clear for a run-in try. The conversion from Josh Henderson was on target.
NOLA came back and San Diego’s penalty count started to creep up. Dan Pryor was singled out for deliberately slowing the ball down in a ruck and dispatched to the sin bin. Cam Dolan took the ball at first receiver and sent a swivel pass to Jordan Trainor. The fullback missed out JP du Plessis to a wide-open Aaron Matthews for the finish in the left corner. Botha curled the conversion back in through the posts to add on the extra two.
San Diego appeared to be frustrated until a loose clearance from Botha was punished on a searing counter-attack. Matías Freyre took off from 10 meters inside his half, committing four defenders before offloading to Michael Smith. The flanker stepped hard off his right foot to bamboozle Trainor and he won the sprint to the finish line.
Trainor sparked a counter from New Orleans territory that gave the Gold a shot at points just before halftime. Isaac Ross was pinged for a high tackle on Jordan Jackson-Hope. Botha lined up what looked like a routine kick but nerves got the best of the young flyhalf and he pushed it wide right.
More penalties early in the second half saw the referee issuing a warning to the Legion. Luke Campbell took a quick tap and was stopped just half-a-meter short. A handful of pick-and-drives later and Malcolm May squeezed in for the try. Botha’s conversion attempt drifted across the face of the posts and the flags stayed down. Campbell would leave the pitch injured after the play, replaced by Damian Stevens.
Another classy counter-attack from Freyre put San Diego intro striking range. Some careless defense at the edge of the ruck opened the door on successive plays and soon Ross was clean through, passing to Pryor on his right for the finish. Will Hooley took over the kicking duties for San Diego and his first strike rang off the left upright.
With the Legion under pressure in their end, a thumping hit from Botha on Pryor jarred the ball loose and suddenly the Gold were knocking on the door. Harmon bashed towards the line but he was stopped just short by Ross, who the officials failed to recognize was illegally on his knees. Advantage was being played and at an ensuing lineout Sama Malolo was shown yellow for killing the ball on the ground.
The Gold threw everything at the Legion but a loose pass from Kevin Sullivan went straight into the hands of Ross, and in the blink of an eye Mikey Te’o was speeding down the sideline. Te’o somehow committed both cover defenders and flipped a no-look overhead pass to Thomas Morani who sprinted 25 meters to score the bonus-point try. Hooley’s kick split the uprights and there was no coming back for NOLA.
It’s another tough match for the Gold next Sunday as they face the Eastern Conference-leading New England Free Jacks at Fort Quincy. The Legion have a week off before returning for a home match against the New York Ironworkers on Sunday, May 28.
SCORING
NOLA 12
Tries (2) – A. Matthews (31′), M. May (45′)
Cons (1) – R. Botha 1/2 (32′)
Pens (0) – R. Botha 0/2
SAN DIEGO 26
Tries (4) – T. Loots (24′), M. Smith (37′), D. Pryor (56′), T. Morani (77′)
Cons (3) – J. Henderson 2/2 (25′, 38′), W. Hooley 1/2 (78′)
YC (2) – D. Pryor (29′), S. Malolo (73′)
TEAMS
NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams (17 Kevin Sullivan 51′), 2 Matt Harmon (16 Cam Falcon 78′), 3 Sean Paranihi (18 Dino Waldren 51′), 4 Cam Dolan (capt.), 5 William Waguespack (20 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha 78′), 6 Alex Lopeti (19 Giovanni Lapp 66′), 7 Malcolm May, 8 Moni Tonga’uiha, 9 Luke Campbell (21 Damian Stevens 46′), 10 Reece Botha, 11 Aaron Matthews (23 Kenneth Jinkins 68′), 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis (22 Jack Webster 57′-62′), 14 Ross Depperschmidt, 15 Jordan Trainor
SAN DIEGO LEGION
1 Nathan Sylvia (17 Djustice Sears-Duru 57′), 2 Shilo Klein (16 Sama Malolo 51′), 3 Luke Green (18 Chris Baumann 68′), 4 Ben Grant (19 Jale Railala HT), 5 Isaac Ross, 6 Michael Smith, 7 Finn Kearns (2 Shilo Klein 73′), 8 Dan Pryor (20 Chris Turori 78′), 9 Jason Higgins (22 Thomas Morani 64′), 10 Josh Henderson (21 Will Hooley 51′), 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Tiaan Loots, 13 Marcel Brache (capt.), 14 Filimoni Waqainabete, 15 Matías Freyre (23 Mikey Te’o 57′)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Allen Alongi (USA) & Rob Halcomb (USA)
TMO: Nick Hannon (USA)
