Corey Brown was involved in most of Norths’ best moments against Warringah and turned matchwinner with a sideline kick after the bell – Photo: seiserphotography.com

by Paul Cook –

Northern Suburbs have made it two wins from two in 2013 with an after the bell penalty from replacement kicker Corey Brown snatching a 15-14 victory over Warringah under the North Sydney Oval lights. The Rats can feel justifiably hard done by after dominating possession and territory in the last hour of a match that threatened at times to break into an entertaining affair but never quite made it through the first few phases.

Match winner Brown, who took over kicking duties in the second half from the injured Scott Daruda, admitted that Norths hadn’t been at their best on the night but believed that the late win was reward for their ability to hang tough under pressure and find a way when it mattered.

“We started well and it looked like it was going to be a good night for us but then we let them control the game and didn’t get the go forward ball we wanted. But the team banded together really well when we needed to in the last five minutes, kept a lot of composure, played as a unit and got the result and good teams do that.”

Not renowned for his shooting boots, the fleet of foot winger has been working hard in the off-season in a bid to put his name forward as the regular kicker but he admits that his winner from 35 metres out and 5 metres in from the sideline was a rare feat thus far. “I’ve only scored from there before in training and at school!”

Dave Harvey returned to North Sydney Oval in opposition colours – Photo: seiserphotography.com

Ironically, the man whose shoes he has stepped into – former Shoreman Dave Harvey – returned to North Sydney Oval in opposition colours for his debut.

Afterwards, the 2011 Ken Catchpole Medal winner was frustrated that his new team hadn’t come away with the win that their performance probably deserved but feels they can take a lot of positives away in defeat.

“We played well for about seventy minutes but just at the end there, we got a little bit disjointed and they capitalised. It was a top effort from the boys, they scrambled really well and they hit really hard but you’re either ecstatic at the end or you’ve got your heads down and it wasn’t to be. We played a good game last week and we’ve come really close tonight against a team that should be in the top four which proves that we’re up there.”

If the game was split into quarters, the home side definitely owned the first, dictating a fast pace and taking the game to their opponents, with Brown and Waratah Cam Crawford looking lively but as soon as they gained reward for their attacking intent, when skipper AJ Gilbert went over for an 8-0 lead – Daruda had opened the scoring early on with a penalty – they failed to put the hammer down when in the ascendancy.

With Norths in control, it looked like being a long night for the visitors but five minutes later – and through their first period of concerted pressure in the opposition 22 – the Rats hit back with Waratah Luke Holmes going low to find the line from in close. Harvey punished his old club further with a terrific conversion from out wide – 8-7.

As Warringah settled, finding some pay out of their forwards and adjusting to the referee’s interpretation at the breakdown quicker than their opponents, Norths went back into their shell, intent on repelling Warringah raids – which they did fairly successfully – but failing to present any real threat in the opposition half at the same time.

From that point on until those crucial dying moments when it all went horribly wrong, it was Warringah’s match. They harassed and harried, threw twice as many punches and had their opponent on the ropes, their only problem was failing to land the knockout punch.

Former Force fly-half Scott Daruda was forced from the field early in the 2nd half – Photo: seiserphotography.com

A serious looking knee injury ended Daruda’s night in the 44th minute, forcing a reshuffle as Liam Windon moved off his wing and into the no.10 role but the status quo in the game remained. Warringah looked the more likely as both sides strangled each other in the middle third and struggled to get width into their game but the visitors’ execution let them down.

When they find some clean air, the Rats have backs with genuine gas but too often, they were isolated and their ball security wasn’t up to scratch. Time and again they manoeuvred themselves into a promising position only for a handling error or the referee’s whistle to halt them.

Harvey had already spurned a chance to claim the lead with a missed penalty before the breakthrough the Rats deserved finally came after 63mins. A half break from Josh Holmes got them within sight of the line and a few recycles later and a short ball put centre Nathan Daly over near the posts. The conversion was a formality.

That should have been that as far as the result went, Warringah maintained their dominance while Norths sustained their rearguard action but there only looked like being one winner. However, despite the Red and Blacks barely mustering an attack in the second stanza, it only takes a second to score a try and with 2 minutes left on the clock, they conjured a play out of nowhere to give themselves an unlikely shot at victory.

Bill Meakes made the initial thrust and scrum-half Liam Walker was heavily involved before a bulwarking run from replacement prop Nic Curtis got them within five metres. A couple more rumbles and a quick spin wide and neat hands from Brown put Peter Schuster over in the corner.

The stage was set for Brown and he didn’t disappoint, nailing his kick before being engulfed by joyous team mates as shellshocked Rats sank to their knees.

Northern Suburbs 15 (AJ Gilbert, Peter Schuster tries; Corey Brown con, Scott Daruda pen) bt Warringah 14 (Luke Holmes, Nathan Daly tries, Dave Harvey 2 cons) at North Sydney Oval. Referee Jamie MacGregor