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NOLA made it four wins in a row with a convincing 25-13 result over the Hounds at SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Despite wet conditions the Gold used the width of their attack to stretch Chicago’s defense with the wingers accounting for all three tries tallied by the visitors.
The rain was heaviest in the first half and kept the two sides scoreless until well after the hydration break. Cam Dolan stole a Hounds throw-in but the ball was spilled and Augusto Bohme recklessly kicked it backwards, with Paddy Ryan pouncing for a gift of a try. Luke Carty’s conversion attempt rang off the left upright but the home side were five points to the good.
A response came shortly after. Reece Botha’s high ball was plucked from the air by Taniela Filimone, with Jordan Jackson-Hope in support to carry inside Chicago’s 22-meter line. After a couple phases hands down the line found Filimone with just enough space to make the corner with an acrobatic finish. Botha couldn’t find the sticks and the scores were level at halftime.
Early in the second half it was more tactical kicking until Botha broke the deadlock with a penalty goal. A mistake by the Gold after the restart allowed Nate Augspurger to snatch away possession. Ryan went quick at an ensuing penalty and quick ball from Jason Higgins put Bryce Campbell over for the try to put the home side in the lead by two.
Two quick scores turned the tide for the Gold. Botha’s second penalty nudged his team back in front, then a set move from a scrum yielded points. Jackson-Hope’s wide pass hit Fidow at pace on the halfway line. The powerful Samoan brushed off two defenders on his way to the line, with Botha tacking on the extra two. At the same time Hounds captain Billy Meakes was dispatched to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Jackson-Hope behind the play.
Carty gave the Hounds some hope with a penalty goal just before Meakes returned but it wasn’t to be for Chicago. NOLA piled the pressure on and moved up the middle until Luke Campbell sent a miss-out to Fidow, who this time barged through Augspurger for the finish. Campbell took on the kicking duties himself and curled over the conversion to put the result beyond doubt.
It’s another test for NOLA up next as they take on overall leaders Houston at The Gold Mine on Saturday. Chicago will enjoy a bye week to sort out their shortcomings before returning for a road game against the Jackals on June 9.
| SCORING |
CHICAGO 13
Tries (2) – P. Ryan (27′), B. Campbell (49′)
Cons (0) – L. Carty 0/2
Pens (1) – L. Carty 1/1 (68′)
YC (1) – B. Meakes (62′)
NOLA 25
Tries (3) – T. Filimone (30′), E. Fidow 2 (61′, 75′)
Cons (2) – R. Botha 1/2 (62′), L. Campbell 1/1 (76′)
Pens (2) – R. Botha 2/2 (46′, 59′)
YC (1) – J. Roberts (78′)
| LINEUPS |
CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 Charlie Abel (17 Nicolás Revol 62′), 2 Dylan Fawsitt (16 Guillermo Pujadas 62′), 3 Paddy Ryan (18 Ignacio Péculo 62′), 4 Mason Flesch (19 George Merrick 59′), 5 James Scott, 6 Ben Landry (20 Brad Tucker 59′), 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Luke White (21 Sid Shoop 59′), 9 Jason Higgins (22 Michael Baska 73′), 10 Adriaan Carelse (23 Mark O’Keeffe 70′), 11 Julián Domínguez, 12 Billy Meakes (capt.), 13 Bryce Campbell, 14 Nate Augspurger, 15 Luke Carty
NOLA GOLD
1 Jarred Adams (17 Matt Harmon 55′), 2 Augusto Böhme (16 Ale Lopeti 66′), 3 Isaac Salmon (18 James Irey 66′), 4 Callum Botchar (20 Fintan Coleman 62′), 5 Cam Dolan, 6 Malcolm May (19 William Waguespack 73′), 7 Moni Tonga’uiha (capt.), 8 OJ Noa, 9 Luke Campbell, 10 Reece Botha (21 Julian Roberts 68′), 11 Ed Fidow (22 Harley Wheeler 76′), 12 Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13 JP du Plessis (23 Ross Depperschmidt 59′), 14 Taniela Filimone, 15 Dougie Fife
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Sunday, May 26
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview
Kickoff: 13:00 local
Weather: rain, 60°F (15°C), wind SE 15-22mph (24-35km/h)
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Scott Green (USA) & Andrew Dunn (USA)
TMO: Cam Russell (Canada)
| HIGHLIGHTS |
