Last gasp try gives Free Jacks dramatic win over Gold

New England celebrated their home opener at Fort Quincy with victory over the Gold thanks to a last gasp try scored by Jed Melvin. It was a thrilling contest with the Free Jacks challenged at every turn by NOLA, with the final score reading 35-31 to the home side.

Isaac Te Tamaki and Cooper Coats combined well to breach the Free Jacks defense, and when the ball was recycled Ed Fidow was waiting for the opening try. New England were again on the back foot when Isaac Olson won a turnover. The Canadian winger then broke through with ball in hand, and Wian Conradie was in support to drive in over the line and draw the scores level.

A moment of individual brilliance put the home side ahead. Luke Carty’s restart went dead and from the midfield scrum Le Roux Malan ran straight through three defenders to score a sensational try. Soon after however a penalty conceded while in possession handed the ball back to the Gold, and Ale Lopeti fell over the line on the back of a driving maul to again make it even stevens.

The Gold seemed to be slipping towards the end of the half though they managed to hold up Killian Coghlan. There was no stopping Melvin from close range, and Jerónimo Gómez Vara burrowed over in similar fashion early in the second half to make it 28-14 to the Free Jacks.

Tupou Afungia was binned for a high tackle and things were looking desperate for NOLA, but instead they fired back with two tries to tie the game at the hour mark. Carty’s chip ahead was tipped by Te Tamaki to Jonah Mau’u for the first score. The cavalry were summoned from the bench and Joe Taufete’e connected with fellow debutant Kaden Duguid to spark a lineout drive, with Big Joe peeling around the short side to score his first try in Gold colors.

Taufete’e was on the end of a high shot from Fidow that earned the NOLA winger a seat in the bin, but New England were then hit by a hamstring injury to flyhalf Jayson Potroz. A scrum collapse gave Carty a long-range shot at goal that he duly slotted to give the Gold the lead in the 76th minute, but a yellow card to Te Tamaki for a dangerous tackle with time up on the clock gave the Free Jacks their shot. The maul set the stage and Melvin broke for the line, the flanker going too low for the defense to stop him as the partisan crowd leapt to their feet in jubilation.

Both teams return to action next Saturday. It’s a road tilt for the Free Jacks against Old Glory DC, and a home game for the Gold opposite RFC Los Angeles.

NEW ENGLAND 35
Tries (5) – W. Conradie (16′), L. Malan (19′), J. Melvin 2 (37′, 80’+2′), J. Gómez Vara (44′)
Cons (5) – J. Potroz 4/4 (17′, 20′, 38′, 45′), F. Peni 1/1 (80’+3′)

NOLA 31
Tries (4) – E. Fidow (10′), A. Lopeti (21′), J. Mau’u (49′), J. Taufete’e (59′)
Cons (4) – L. Carty 4/4 (11′, 22′, 50′, 60′)
Pens (1) – L. Carty 1/1 (76′)
YC (3) – T. Afungia (46′), E. Fidow (65′), I. Te Tamaki (80’+1′)

NEW ENGLAND FREE JACKS
1 Malakai Hala-Ngatai (16 Foster DeWitt 60′), 2 Andrew Quattrin (17 Cole Keith 63′), 3 Jone Koroiduadua (18 Kaleb Geiger 46′), 4 Jerónimo Gómez Vara (19 Conor Keys 64′), 5 Sam Caird (20 Kyle Baillie 72′), 6 Jed Melvin, 7 Joe Johnston (capt.), 8 Wian Conradie, 9 Oscar Lennon (21 Cam Nordli-Kelemeti 66′), 10 Jayson Potroz (22 Harrison Boyle 73′), 11 Killian Coghlan (23 Faletoi Peni 61′), 12 Faletoi Peni, 13 Wayne van der Bank, 14 Isaac Olson, 15 Simon-Peter Toleafoa

NOLA GOLD
1 Matt Harmon (17 Jarred Adams 56′), 2 Ale Lopeti (16 Joe Taufete’e 56′), 3 Isaac Salmon (18 Paul Mullen 56′), 4 Chase Jones, 5 William Waguespack (19 Kaden Duguid 58′), 6 Malcolm May (20 Aidan King 45′), 7 Jonah Mau’u (capt.), 8 Tupou Afungia (21 Osaiasi Tonga’uiha 73′), 9 Ruben de Haas (22 Luke Campbell 50′), 10 Luke Carty, 11 Ed Fidow (23 Reece Botha 75′), 12 Nikolai Foliaki, 13 Isaac Te Tamaki, 14 Xavier Mignot, 15 Cooper Coats

Date: Saturday, March 15
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy
Kickoff: 14:00 local
Weather: partly cloudy, 57°F (14°C), wind S 10-15mph (16-24km/h)

Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Amelia Luciano (USA) & Jarrod Ford (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)