The Windsor Wolves travelled to Campbelltown desperate to break a three match loosing streak to stay in the race for the minor premiership and came away with an emphatic 60-8 win over the Western Suburbs Magpies.
The Magpies showed some fight in the first half to trail 18-4 and with a bit of luck the score may have been closer at half time but Windsor stepped up the tempo in the second half and ran away with the game which included 30 points scored in the final 18 minutes of play with five-eighth Matt Mundine scoring 28 points from 2 tries and 10 goals.
The afternoon started well enough for the Magpies when local Campbelltown junior and former Group 6 representative, Amanono Tovio scored in the corner after a neat passing movement along the backline after Windsor dropped the ball in the own 20m line. Trent Touma's conversion attempt went wide up Wests were up 4-0 after 8 mins.
Windsor hit back at the 12 minute mark after a Magpies error in the play the ball whilst attacking on Windsor's 40m line. The Wolves were able to work down field and Matt Mundine crashed over from close range on the last tackle. He converted his own try and the Wolves were in front 6-4 and were never headed for the rest of the game.
Wests then kicked the ball dead from the kick off gifting Windsor field position and former Magpie Dean Parata scored at the 15 minute mark after accepting a wayward pass and ducking under the Wests defence close to the line. Mundine added the extras for a 12-4 scoreline.
Another former Magpie, Mitch Achurch scored next at the 26 minute mark after the Wolves were awarded a penalty on their own 40m line and was able to crash through the defence on a 30m run to the tryline. Mundine converted for an 18-4 scoreline.
For the final 10 minutes of the first half, Wests received 3 penalties and had 3 scrum wins so they had enough possession to score more points but failed to do so and went into the sheds down 18-4 at halftime.
Wests needed to start the second half with points but it was the Wolves who scored in just the second minute of the second half after yet another Magpie error resulted in a Windsor scrum win on their own 30m line. Centre Junior Vai Vai scored after great lead up work by Parata who was calling the shots at halfback.
Mundine added the extras and it was 24-4.
Wests hit back at the 47 minute mark after fullback Zoram Watene picked up a stray Windsor pass on Wests 30m line and ran downfield 50m before being brought down by Vai Vai who then held down Watene and the referee had no hesitation in sending Vai Vai to the sin bin for 10 min. Watene was then able to score out wide from the resulting penalty. Touma failed with the conversion attempt but Wests had a sniff at 24-8 however failed to add points when the Wolves were one man short with the Wolves scoring almost immediately Vai Vai returned to the field when Krys Freeman, son of former New Zealand test halfback and captain, Gary Freeman, scored from dummy half after burrowing his way through the defence close to the line. Mundine's conversion saw the score increase to 30-8 at the 58 minute mark.
Then Windsor powered home in the final 18 minutes starting with a try to fullback Travis Robinson at the 62 minute mark after Achurch busted the Wests line 20m out and popped the ball to Robinson who strolled over near the posts. The score was 36-8 after Mundine converted.
Then from the kick off Wests conceded a penalty on the first tackle, from which Windsor worked the play downfield and Mundine scored after again good lead up work from Achurch who was able to stand and offload in a tackle and Mundine was able to wrestle out a tackle to score his second try. His conversion made it 42-8.
At the 70 minute mark, Parata was able to fool the Wests defence and scoot through a gap on a run to the tryline and drew the fullback with a neat pass to Travis Robinson to score under the posts. Mundine converted for 48-8 scoreline.
Another Wests error from the kickoff, this time players being in front of the kicker saw Windsor work the ball down field but they were this time denied points but it didn't take them long to score again when Mundine created the next try after the Wests defence held off him and he was able ran through a gap for Malakai Watenen to score out wide. Mundine added the extras and it was 54-8 and Krys Freeman scored his second try for the afternoon after the Wolves scored from the kickoff when Vai Vai ran the ball back and just accelerated past the defence and ran 40m before finding Freeman in support. Mundine's conversion made the final score 60-8.
For Wests, it was another case of turnovers resulting in the opposition scoring points. Poor ball security and lack of discipline in defence have taken their toll on the Magpies this season.
Zoram Watene gave his usual outstanding performance at fullback. Centre turned second rower, Michael Lekkas was aggressive in both attack and defence and was able to stand and offload in tackles several times. He has improved as the season wears on after having playing in the Penrith junior reps squads. Props Jay Maseuli and Latu Fifita never stopped trying and former Souths junior Alan Daly was busy in defence. Michael La Manna had a strong game at five-eighth while Nigel Millgate & Trent Touma again figured prominently in Wests attacking movements and Greg Davis is a genuine speedster.
For Windsor, former Magpies Mitch Achurch and Dean Parata were outstanding. Mitch was able to crash his way through the defence with ease and Parata had a terrific game at halfback. Five-eighth Matt Mundine stepped up a notch in the second half and big forwards, Chris Armit, Jake Grace, Kurt Foggo and another former Magpie, Duan Poaneki led from the front.
For Wests, they travel up the F3 next Sunday to take on the hot and cold Newcastle Knights outfit.
Windsor 60 (Mundine 2, Freeman 2, Robinson 2, Parata, Achurch, Vai Vai, Watene tries: Mundine 10 goals) def Wests 8 (Tovio, Watene tries).
Half time - Windsor 18 Wests 4
Scrums - Windsor 7 Wests 6
Penalties - Wests 9 Windsor 8
Goal Kickers - Matt Mundine 10/10 Trent Touma 0/2
Western Suburbs
1 Zoram Watene
18 Greg Davis
2 Tarrant Mariner
4 Keanu Rogers
5 Amanono Tovio
6 Michael La Manna
7 Trent Touma
8 Jay Maseuli
9 Nigel Millgate
10 Latu Fifita
11 Michael Lekkas
12 Daniel La Manna
13 Alan Daly
14 Henry Godinet
15 Sione Fakahau
21 Tuki Jackson
25 Chris Nay
Windsor
1 Travis Robinson
2 Kane Morgan
20 Malakai Watene
4 Junior Vai Vai
5 Etu Uaisele
16 Matt Mundine
9 Dean Parata
24 Mitch Achurch
14 Krys Freeman
10 Chris Armit
11 Jesse Sene Lefao
12 Sarafu Fatiaki
13 Adam Docker
6 Luke Gordon
15 Jake Grace
17 Kurt Foggo
18 Duan Poaneki
