Old Glory ends Free Jacks winning streak with late try

Jason Robertson’s conversion with time expired gave Old Glory DC an unlikely 35-34 win over the Free Jacks at Fort Quincy on Saturday afternoon. The visitors overcame a 15-point second half deficit to bring a halt to New England’s 14-game winning streak that dated back to last season.

It was the Free Jacks who got on the board first, and it didn’t take long. The try came from a well-executed set move, with Cam Davidowicz breaking from a maul and feeding a pop pass to John Poland on his inside. The scrumhalf needed only to fix the last defender to free Paula Balekana for a try in the left corner. Jayson Potroz hit the conversion from wide out to make it a full seven.

Another three points went up courtesy of Potroz on a penalty kick soon after. The New England defense repelled a promising DC attack, and then capitalised on a mistake. John Rizzo couldn’t handle the high ball from Potroz and Reece MacDonald was quickest to react, bolting 40 meters untouched to score with the conversion making it 17-nil to the home side.

The visitors finally opened their account with a multi-phased attack off a lineout. Robertson tied up two defenders on the gainline and popped to Martín Vaca in support. The Argentine hooker stepped off his left foot and fended his way to the line for a try. There was no trouble for Robertson with the conversion to make it a 10-point game.

Just a few short minutes later and that gap was closed to three. Ben LeSage was warned for repeat high tackles and DC took full advantage with a long kick to the corner. The drive was initially slowed but Vaca spotted a weakly-guarded short side and burst from the back to grab his double. Robertson nailed the extras from the sideline and the partisan crowd were suddenly silent.

New England brought the fans back into the game with their own score from a driving maul. An offside penalty against DC conceded field position, and the drive was executed to perfection with Andrew Quattrin getting credit for the try. The kick from Potroz made it 24-14 to the home side at the half.

Early in the second half an off-the-ball scuffle led to the referee lecturing both captains about discipline. From an ensuing scrum a set play was orchestrated and a brilliant no-look pass from Balekana found MacDonald, who in turn fed Mitch Wilson on the outside. The winger stepped back across the drifting defense to score a bonus-point try for the Free Jacks.

It didn’t take long for a reply from the visitors. Penalties gave away an attacking lineout and Vaca again tore off the back of the maul, but this time he was met with two defenders. Robertson was next to have crack, stepping past one and reaching out of the tackle to ground the ball for the try. He converted his own to close the gap to 8 points with a half-hour to play.

Just as quickly the home side created their fifth try. MacDonald’s attempted grubber was deflected and Wilson was the man to regather, feeding it back to MacDonald speeding through a gap. Davidowicz took the pass down the sideline and offloaded to LeSage for the finish. In the background another scuffle ensued and again the referee, unable to identify the instigators, admonished the two captains.

A raking 50-22 from Gradyn Bowd put the visitors back to within striking range. Cole Keith was binned for a no-arms tackle and suddenly DC were knocking on the door. On came the pressure until at last Vaca claimed his hat trick, the hooker burrowing over from close range with Robertson’s kick making it a one-score game.

Potroz had a chance to stretch the lead but his penalty attempt was off-target. Old Glory then won a scrum penalty and advanced but were turned away by a Danyon Morgan-Puterangi intercept. Poland seemed to be pulling away when Lautaro Bavaro arrived to make a desperate try-saving tackle.

With the clock now in the final minute the referee lost his patience, showing yellow to Sean Ralph for not rolling from a tackle and then issuing another warning for a lineout infringement. When the lineout drive was stalled KoiKoi Nelligan took it on but was stopped inches short. William Talataina was right behind to pick and reach over the line for the try. A tricky angle awaited Robertson with the kick and the crowd howled to try and shake his focus, but Old Glory’s man of the hour paid no mind and slotted the game-winner to clinch a famous victory.

Both teams return to action next Saturday against Eastern Conference rivals and both will play at home. New England host the first game of the weekend against NOLA Gold, while DC play their first game at Maryland SoccerPlex against the Chicago Hounds.

 

SCORING

NEW ENGLAND 34
Tries (5) – P. Balekana (4′), R. MacDonald (24′), A. Quattrin (38′), M. Wilson (45′), B. LeSage (54′)
Cons (3) – J. Potroz 3/5 (5′, 25′, 39′)
Pens (1) – J. Potroz 1/2 (11′)
YC (2) – C. Keith (60′), S. Ralph (80′)

DC 35
Tries (5) – M. Vaca 3 (27′, 33′, 61′), J. Robertson (50′), W. Talataina (80’+2′)
Cons (5) – J. Robertson 5/5 (28′, 34′, 51′, 62′, 80’+3′)

LINEUPS

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Kyle Ciquera (17 Foster DeWitt 51′), 2 Andrew Quattrin (16 Sean Ralph 66′), 3 John-Roy Jenkinson (18 Cole Keith 51′), 4 Josh Larsen (capt.), 5 Kyle Baillie (19 Jackson Thiebes 75′), 6 Martín Sigren (20 Piers von Dadelszen 70′), 7 Cam Davidowicz (3 John-Roy Jenkinson 60′-70′), 8 Wian Conradie, 9 John Poland, 10 Jayson Potroz, 11 Paula Balekana (23 Danyon Morgan-Puterangi 55′), 12 Wayne van der Bank, 13 Ben LeSage, 14 Mitch Wilson, 15 Reece MacDonald

Not used: 21 Holden Yungert, 22 Isaac Olson

OLD GLORY DC
1 Quentin Newcomer (17 Jack Iscaro 46′), 2 Martín Vaca (16 KoiKoi Nelligan 78′), 3 Tyler Rowland (18 Cali Martinez 64′), 4 Rob Harley (19 Bill Whiteside 78′), 5 Ignacio Dotti, 6 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (capt.), 7 Cory Daniel (20 Collin Grosse 66′), 8 Lautaro Bavaro, 9 Ethan McVeigh (21 Connor Buckley 66′), 10 Jason Robertson, 11 Ishmail Shabazz, 12 Tommaso Boni, 13 John Powers (22 William Talataina 62′), 14 John Rizzo, 15 Gradyn Bowd

Not used: 23 Palema Roberts

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, March 9
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 14:00 local
Weather: overcast, 39°F (4°C), wind E 14-21mph (22-33km/h)

OFFICIALS

Referee: Scott Green (USA)
Assistants: Luke Rogan (USA) & Jarrod Ford (USA)
TMO: Greg Gilliam (USA)