League: Eels impress against Hukanui

Otumoetai Eels weathered a fired-up Hukanui outfit and some early errors to run out impressive 44-18 winners at Mitchell Park on Saturday.

Hukanui opened the scoring with a try down a tight blindside, but the Eels soon answered back with a reply under the sticks to the plucky Mitchell Cairns-Nelson to take a 6-4 lead.

Kere Thompson extended the advantage soon after with a well-chosen line back on the inside after a couple of second man plays. The conversion made it 12-4, but back-to-back sets to the visitors, thanks to a penalty, meant the advantage was just two points midway through the first half.

That was as close as it got though, with impressive play from Josh Weedon and an imposing effort from the forwards leading to the Eels' outside backs and backrowers running amok on the fringes.

The eight tries to four result was an accurate reflection of a match enjoyed by a good crowd at the picturesque Mitchell Park.

Winger Ryan Gordon, whose hat-trick consisted of gathering three cross field kicks before outmuscling his opposites in limited space down the left-hand flank, was happy to be back with the side after plying his trade for the Queanbeyan Kangaroos in the Canberra Cup.

The match marked his first full game back from a dislocated knee suffered six weeks ago.

"It's good to be back - it feels a lot better running out with the boys," said Gordon.

"It's a lot different culture to playing over in Aussie. Playing over there, it's each for his own, and it's just great to be back playing footy with the boys.

"It wasn't really my sort of thing. Tauranga is where I want to be, Tauranga's home."

Gordon said the side needs to win three of four remaining matches to make the semifinals, but he did not see that as too much of a problem.

"I've been following the team while I was over in Aussie and I think they lost by two points last time.

"I was quite surprised at that considering how they went last year against Hukanui, but that scoreboard is a lot better. It'll be more showing of what the scoreboards will be from here on out I reckon."

Gordon placed much of the credit for his bustling three-try effort down to the way Weedon controlled the match with his kicking game and with ball in hand. "It's good playing with someone like him who knows where to put the ball."

The reserve team went down 48-24 in an entertaining curtain raiser.

Otumoetai Eels 44 (Ryan Gordon (3), Mark Ballantyne, James Poharama, Mitchell Cairns-Nelson, Phillip Johnston, Kere Thompson tries; Josh Weedon 6 goals) beat Hukanui 18.