The Gungahlin Bulls have taken themselves a step closer to topping the Canberra Raiders Cup table heading into finals, after a 28-14 win.
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The side sit on 25 points heading into final three rounds of the competition before finals footy, and are pulling away from third and fourth place, alongside the Queanbeyan Blues on 24 points in a battle for first.
Spectators at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval on Sunday would not have been able to tell the Belconnen United Sharks were coming off a three-week layoff. After the sixth-placed visitors crossed first to open the game's scoring.
Belconnen led 6-0 for the opening 20 minutes of the match. Before their three-week break seemed to catch up with them, with mistakes costing the side their lead, and the Bulls soon equalised 6-6.
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Gungahlin showed why they are leading the Cup competition, clawing back to a 12-6 lead heading into the second half.
The Bulls firmed up their position by opening the scoring in the second half through Zac Patch.
The Sharks continued to respond but it would not be enough, as the Bulls walked away 28-14 winners.
The ladder leader's have guaranteed themselves a spot in the finals and will face Queanbeyan Blues next week, before facing second placed Queanbeyan Kangaroos the week after, followed by a bye in the final round.
It will not be an easy path for Belconnen, with three more rounds to overhaul a five-point deficit keeping them out of the top four.
AT A GLANCE
- Gungahlin Bulls 28 (Tries: T Eldridge 2, J Williams, J Owen, Z Patch; Goals: L Thomson 4) d Belconnen United Sharks 14 (Tries: L Kaloutolu, P Amponn-Nyamekye, E McCarroll; Goal: C Woolnough)
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
