Seagulls scrape home against
Comets

WYNNUM SEAGULLS 32 defeat CENTRAL COMETS 22

Late converted tries to Wynnum flyers Simon Phillips and Damien Quinn have helped avoid a controversial finish to the Seagulls? clash with the last-placed Central Comets.

History will remember the match as a 32-22 victory to the baysiders, yet a penalty goal in wet conditions in the 73rd minute had Central in front 22-20 at Browne Park.

The opportunity arose after Wynnum was pinged in possession by referee Clayton Sharpe for walking off the mark.

?It was a comedy of errors in that second half and for it to go to a penalty would have been very disappointing,? said Seagulls coach Neil Wharton.

?Fortunately our blokes stuck in there until the end.?

While Wharton described it as a ?good result?, moving his team up to equal sixth, he noted there was plenty of room for improvement.

Ball-handling from both sides was scrappy and only a darting dummy-half try to Brett McPherson allowed the Seagulls to trail 16-10 at the break.

Struggling with fitness and form, Wynnum?s reigning Sunstate Player of the Year Jace Van Dijk gifted the Comets a 60m intercept try and committed a number of uncharacteristic errors.

Yet on the go-forward of Danny McAllister, Craig Greenhill, Clayton Maher and Peter Penaia, the Seagulls managed to put their noses in front.

Gary Winter thrived in a wider-running role, replacing the suspended John Bruce, while Gareth Turton, Darren Bain and Nick Bowman justified their recent elevations to the Wizard Cup.

Despite the indignity of remaining the last winless club in the competition, Central displayed encouraging signs, losing for the second week in a row inside the final 10 minutes.

?Central showed a lot of character,? admitted Wharton.

?They didn?t have anything to lose and threw everything at us. They were quite strong and built good momentum at times.?

Playing his first game of the season in Comets colours, Gladstone Brothers product James Radloff continued his prolific form in the CQ Extended League by scoring a try and three goals.

Next week Central has the bye, while Wynnum hosts Souths Logan at Kougari Oval on Sunday.

WYNNUM 32 (Simon Phillips, Damien Quinn, Nathan Murphy, Gary Winter, Gareth Turton, Brett McPherson tries; Damien Quinn 4 goals)

beat

CENTRAL 22 (Mark Henry, James Radloff, Matt Hill, Kurt Cawdron tries; James Radloff 3 goals)

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