Tigers and Young Guns All Tied Up

MISSED field goal attempt from Matt Lockyer has ended Easts? winning streak at five games, although the Tigers remain unbeaten since June 3 after a thrilling 10-all draw with North Queensland at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Continuing the Tigers? remarkable and almost inexplicable rise to form in the second half of the season, the Stones Corner club led the competition leaders 10-4 on Saturday night until a Brenton Bowen try 15 minutes from fulltime.

With regular kicker Neil Sweeney (thigh) off the field injured, Brent McConnell then had to slot a conversion from out wide to tie the game up.

In the closing stages both teams had opportunities to snatch the result. Tigers skipper Lockyer skewed his attempt at a winning drop-goal wide, while the Young Guns knocked-on in good position right on fulltime.

?We weren?t at our best, but I thought the Tigers were pretty good,? conceded North Queensland coach Mick Crawley.

?They were better than the side we played at the start of the year and they only allowed us to play at a certain level.

?They?re used to being a successful club and Michael Booth?s been around and been with that team for a while, so I think it makes sense that they should come good as the season goes on.?

Easts has now beaten or matched the top three in the competition in just over a month, also recording a 28-24 win against Redcliffe and a 33-12 win over Toowoomba. The Tigers have not tasted defeat since losing 36-18 against Norths in a horrible Round 12 performance which had many doubting their finals credentials.

Next Saturday they have a chance to allay those fears altogether when they host Tweed Heads at Langlands Park. Tweed is the only side in the top five which Easts has not stuck with this season, having lost 26-24 to the Seagulls back in May.

?The need right now is for us to maintain our consistency . We?ve got to play to the right standard when we face teams we should be beating,? said Tigers coach Booth.

?Right now we?ve got a bit of confidence and belief in what we can do.?

Easts? performance against the Young Guns was even more meritorious considering it was achieved without recently injured Steele Retchless, Shane Neumann and Marcus Jensen and nine other players who are out for the remainder of the season.

Best for Easts were winger John Tamanika, Lockyer, Mark Cantoni and Allen, while North Queensland?s most potent were fullback Jason Barsley and forward Sam Faust. Faust was a late inclusion in the starting team after Mitchell Sargent was called up for NRL duty. State of Origin star Ty Williams scored the first try of the night for the home side.

While Easts hosts Tweed next Saturday at 3pm, North Queensland will face Burleigh at Pizzey Park at 2pm in ABC live telecast.

NORTH QLD 10 (Ty Williams, Brenton Bowen tries; Brent McConnell goal) d EASTS 10 (John Tamanika, David Tyrrell tries; Luke Branighan goal) at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Source: qrl.com.au