Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles broke a nine-year drought with a comfortable 30-10 victory over a depleted Warilla-Lake South Gorillas on Sunday.
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The Eagles last tasted victory against the Gorillas in 2014. Their latest win at Centenary Field came after the injury-hit visitors again suffered more injuries during the round 12 clash.
Albion Park though were deserving winners, even though Eagles coach Jason Hooper wasn't overly impressed with the performance.
Hooper though was happy to hear his team's win was the first time a first-grade Eagles outfit had beaten Warilla in nine years.
"I didn't know that, so that's good at least," he said.
'I mean Warilla are very depleted, they had a lot of busted blokes but you can only play what's in front of you.
"But in saying that I'm still disappointed with our attack in the last 20 minutes. We probably didn't put it to bed and that's been our problem all year.
"That's probably why we're sitting where we are because we get in positions to win games and then we can't put it to bed."
Hooper added it was important to secure only the club's third win of the season.
"The positives are we won and I'm happy we were able to celebrate Lewis Hazelton's 100th first-grade game with a win," he said.
The Eagles started the better and led 6-0 after 11 minutes courtesy of a try to Jarryd King which was converted by Jye Ellis.
But it was the Gorillas who were leading 10-6 midway through the half thanks to tries Craig Nolan and Blair Grant.
![Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles lock Jack Walsh scored two tries in his team's 30-10 victory over Warilla-Lake South Gorillas on Sunday. Picture by Adam McLean Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles lock Jack Walsh scored two tries in his team's 30-10 victory over Warilla-Lake South Gorillas on Sunday. Picture by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/kZL4qV6yTxfrWZJxKQxjSN/3cbc9d4e-ad90-4770-82b1-1f19b4d2e325.jpg/r0_0_4469_2950_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The second try came after a brilliant solo run from hooker Dexter Grant.
But on the back of 6-1 penalty count against them, and losing two more players to injury, Warilla could not hold on, and it was the Eagles who led 18-10 at halftime after crossing for converted tries to Jack Walsh and Dallas Harrison.
Lock-forward Walsh would crash over for a second try early in the second half before Cooper Tunbridge secured the victory with a try late on.
Warilla coach Troy Grant was disappointed with the loss, but not the effort of his injury-ravaged side.
"We are calling this the Gorillas curse of 23. It hasn't stopped since young Dane Nielson done his ACL in a pre-season Oztag tournament, it's just continued from there, we can't take a trick," Grant said.
We are calling this the Gorillas curse of 23.
- Warilla coach Troy Grant
"We lost young Dexter [Grant], who popped his shoulder, hopefully we can do some rehab and he can return for the under 18s soon.
"Briso [Jake Brisbane] came off with a head knock from an alleged shoulder charge so we'll have a look at that. As it is we had about half a dozen guys from reggies who played big minutes in reggies and then had to come and play big minutes for us as well.
'You can't run for 80 minutes on tired and busted legs.
"We just ran out of troops and energy. It is what it is."
In other games on Sunday, Kiama Knights held tough to down Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 28-26. The Bulldogs had a chance to tie-up the scores right on the bell but theit penalty goal attempt hit the post and missed.
Jamberoo Superoos were also victorious on Sunday, downing Nowra-Bomaderry Jets 24-14.
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