In hard-fought battle, Seattle Men's RFB takes Raptors, 32-29
The Seattle Rugby Club made the long flight to the Rocky Mountains and came away with a hard earned victory against the Glendale Raptors, 32-29. It was a story of two halves, with Glendale dominating the first half and Seattle controlling the game in the deciding second period.
Glendale got off to a quick start two minutes into the match when full back DeWon Reed broke free on a counter attack and fed flanker Cass Barrett for the try. Mike Graham converted the first of three. Seattle immediately responded with a penalty kick in front of the goal. Seattle was then adjudged to be off side and Graham kicked a short penalty for a 10 - 3 lead. Ten minutes later Seattle kicked another penalty to bring the score to 10 - 6.
Following a lineout and drive, Graham broke the Seattle line and fed a pass to Reed for the converted score. From a defensive scrum at their five-meter line Glendale won the head and counter attacked down the blind side. Following an exchange of passing between five players, Taylor Howden, who started the attack, touched down under the posts for a converted try and the half time lead 24 - 6.
The second half saw a turn of future as Seattle continued to win important lineout ball, winning numerous Glendale throw-ins. In the fourth minute, using a powerful forward attack and a glut of possession Seattle hammered at the Glendale defense, scoring the first of what would become four-second half tries. At the twenty-minute mark Glendale responded with another Graham line break and pass to Reed for an unconverted try, 20 - 13. This would be the last of Glendale's scoring opportunities as Seattle completely shut down the Glendale's attack.
In the twenty-fourth minute Seattle scored a converted try from a pick and go after camping out at the Glendale line, 29 - 18. Eighteen minutes later, following a driving maul and a series of pick and goes, Seattle forwards crashed over again to narrow the margin to 29 - 25. Continuing their forward dominance and keeping the ball tight, Seattle finally let the ball out to the mid-field backs who broke the line for the winning try with four minutes left in the match 32 - 29.
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