Passionate Old Glory upsets underwhelming Ironworkers

Old Glory celebrated their first ever win over New York with a stunning 42-31 performance at Segra Field on Sunday. The Ironworkers held a 12-point lead at the intermission, but a miserable second half saw them concede 30 points as DC’s attacking vigor took center stage.

The visitors scored first, and quickly. A penalty led to an attacking lineout. Despite wearing No8 on his back, Dylan Fawsitt assumed the throwing duties. He found his first target in Brad Tucker and the drive worked to perfection with Fawsitt at the back getting the credit. Jason Emery slotted the conversion from wide out to make it a full seven.

Sloppy work at a clearout from DC gave the ball back to New York. A grubber off the left boot of Teihorangi Walden pinned Old Glory deep in their end, and then Danny Tusitala sliced his clearance to set up another attacking throw-in. The drive was stopped but a penalty was conceded soon after which gave Emery an easy three points off the tee.

Some momentum finally went to the home side after Fermín Martínez made it over the gainline to earn front foot ball. Tusitala put up a huge box kick and Nick Feakes couldn’t handle it, the ball instead snatched up by Collin Grosse. William Talataina was there in support to take the scoring pass into the corner. Gradyn Bowd’s conversion attempt faded to the right and the flags stayed down.

Both teams lost forwards in the opening quarter. Nic Mayhew’s heavily wrapped right knee had enough, with Sam Davies coming in at tighthead prop for New York. Fintan Coleman went off for an HIA when he collided with Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz in a ruck. Lautaro Bavaro moved to lock with Alejo Daireaux assuming the openside flanker spot for DC.

In a flash New York were in again for a second try. Quick hands from Walden and an offload from Brad Tucker freed Andrew Coe down the right sideline. Emery converted as Martínez was helped off after being knocked senseless in an off-the-ball collision with the New York No10, replaced by Thretton Palamo.

Just as quickly Old Glory found their way back into New York territory. Nic Souchon went over the top at a lineout to find Langilangi Haupeakui on the charge. Palamo and Junior Sa’u asked questions of the defense, and then a double-hit on Daireaux left Lautaro Bavaro wide open to take the offload in for a try. This time the kick was routine for Bowd and the gap was closed to five.

Tevita Langi limped off, replaced at loosehead prop by Anthony Parry for New York. Coleman then returned from his HIA with Daireaux heading back to the bench. DC left a gap on the post which Conor McManus exploited to perfection, slicing up the middle and connecting with Hamish Dalzell on his right for a try out of nothing.

Penalties gave away field position to Old Glory, and after their first opportunity to score was botched a loose pass from McManus gave the home side a second chance. Palamo sent a huge miss-out pass to Sa’u in space and the winger had just enough space to reach out and ground the ball before Feakes arrived to knock him into touch. Bowd pulled the kick but it was a one-score game.

A counter-attack was the avenue for the next try. Bowd set Kurt Baker up the middle, who then popped a short ball to Fa’anana-Schultz coming at pace on halfway. The DC captain took the corner and lined up Coe, rampaging straight over top and sprinting into the corner for a terrific individual effort. The kick from Bowd was no good and at the hour mark the home side trailed by two.

Old Glory took the lead just two minutes later. Tusitala slipped through on a trick play at a lineout, connecting with Grosse. He in turn popped the ball off to Bavaro off his left shoulder and the Argentine stepped on the gas to beat the cover. This time it was a chip shot for Bowd and New York were suddenly trailing for the first time.

It wouldn’t last long, as the restart was hauled in by Walden. Fawsitt was there to take the short pass, Ngawati was next in line, and finally Pryor was there to touch down in the left corner. Emery split the posts from the sideline and the visitors were back in the lead. Just as quickly it was snuffed out when Bowd’s chip over the line bounced up perfectly for Talataina to race in under the posts.

Disaster struck next as a box kick from Tusitala was dropped by Brooklyn Hardaker. Simple hands down the line from the ensuing scrum found a wide open Peni Lasaqa and it looked as though the Ironworkers were done for, but the final pass from Baker was forward.

There would be no way back now for the visitors, however, as the undersized DC pack won a scrum penalty and Tito Díaz Bonilla hammered another nail in New York’s coffin. He would add one more three-pointer for good measure as the crowd showered their intrepid heroes with applause.

The winners will have a short turnaround as DC hosts the Utah Warriors on Saturday. It’s a full six days off before New York take the field again, with a home game against the Houston SaberCats on Sunday.

 

SCORING

DC 42
Tries (6) – W. Talataina 2 (17′, 67′), L. Bavaro 2 (24′, 62′), J. Sa’u (48′), J. Fa’anana-Schultz (59′)
Cons (3) – G. Bowd 2/5 (25′, 63′), No kick (67′)
Pens (2) – J. Díaz Bonilla 2/2 (77′, 79′)
YC (1) – A. Daireaux (80′)

NEW YORK 31
Tries (4) – D. Fawsitt (3′), A. Coe (20′), H. Dalzell (36′), K. Pryor (64′)
Cons (4) – J. Emery 4/4 (4′, 21′, 37′, 65′)
Pens (1) – J. Emery 1/1 (13′)

 

TEAMS

OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Nic Souchon (16 Facundo Gattas 69′), 3 Kyle Stewart (18 Cali Martinez 71′), 4 Collin Grosse, 5 Fintan Coleman (20 Alejo Daireaux 18′-28′, 43′), 6 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (capt.), 7 Lautaro Bavaro, 8 Langilangi Haupeakui, 9 Danny Tusitala, 10 Gradyn Bowd, 11 Junior Sa’u (21 John LeFevre 79′), 12 Fermín Martínez (23 Thretton Palamo 21′ {22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla 68′}), 13 William Talataina, 14 Peni Lasaqa, 15 Kurt Baker

Not used: 17 Quentin Newcomer, 19 Brady Daniel

NEW YORK IRONWORKERS
1 Tevita Langi (17 Anthony Parry 25′), 2 Kaleb Geiger (16 DaQuan Perry 71′), 3 Nic Mayhew (18 Sam Davies 13′), 4 Nate Brakeley (capt.), 5 Hamish Dalzell, 6 Brad Tucker (19 Charlie Hewitt 58′), 7 Kara Pryor (20 Monate Akuei 73′), 8 Dylan Fawsitt, 9 Conor McManus (21 Connor Buckley 60′), 10 Jason Emery, 11 Quinn Ngawati, 12 Teihorangi Walden (22 Sam Windsor 65′), 13 Fa’asiu Fuatai, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Nick Feakes (23 Brooklyn Hardaker 52′)

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Aaron Davis (USA) & Craig Sakowski (USA)
TMO: Mike Lash (New Zealand)