The reserve grade Newcastle Knights were beaten 40-8 by the Wentworthville Magpies at Hunter Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The red and blues gave as good as they got in the first half with Pauli Pauli and Tom Hughes scoring tries, but it was simply one way traffic after the break with the Magpies running in two unanswered tries and two penalty goals.
The Magpies got over the line in the fourth minute, the Knights’ left edge not doing enough to defend a kick that winger Scott Schulte latched onto. Five-eighth Dylan Izzard did well to steer his conversion over from the sideline, but ten minutes later the Knights were back in it as centre Tom Hughes finished off a backline move with a try on the right side.
Bryce Donovan’s attempted conversion ricocheted off the upright to leave the score at 6-4, but several sets later the Knights were over again as Ken Tofilau batted back a kick for big Pauli Pauli to get over the line.
The Magpies struck back from their own half in the 28th minute, fullback Honeti Tuha finishing off a big break on the left edge. Izzard converted to put the away side back in the lead, and then seven minutes later Tuha grabbed his second to push his sides’ lead out to ten points.
12 minutes into the second half Wentworthville got over the line again, Nick Kassis getting a charge down on Will Pearsall’s kick to run 50 metres and score.
Things got worse for the Knights soon after as Luke Yates suffered a head knock in a tackle and had to be assisted from the field.
Soon after Wentworthville picked up another two points as Izzard slotted a penalty goal, and then with 15 minutes left on the clock halfback Cameron King got a try.
Tuha completed his hat-trick two minutes from time, Izzard converting to make the final score 40-8.
SUMMARY
Newcastle Knights 8 (T: Hughes, Pauli, G: Donovan 0/2)
Wentworthville Magpies 40 (T: Tuha 3, Schulte, Kassis, King, G: Izzard 6/6, P: 2)
TEAM
1. Bryce Donovan, 2. Ken Tofilau, 4. Tom Hughes, 6. Ryan Walker, 22. Dean Kouka-Smith, 15. Kurt Aldridge, 7. Will Pearsall, 18. Mickey Paea, 14. Ben Stone, 11. Jacob Saifiti, 30. Pauli Pauli, 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 13. David Bhana. Interchange: 8. Uiti Baker, 16. Bradie Smith, 17. Luke Yates (c), 20. Tama Koopu.
