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OMBAC Turn Back S.F. Golden Gate In Super League “Friendly”: Late ten point surge with a man down propels locals to victory
(San Diego, CA) 22 February 2003 -- Although the rivalry between Golden Gate (now known as San Francisco Golden Gate) and OMBAC has only been brewing for the past 10 years or so, the outcome of just about every match has been decided by a point or two in either direction. For 65 minutes on Saturday, it looked as if that trend was going to continue. Both teams put together some constructive phases of play but sound defense or handling errors disrupted most of the positive set up work. In the end, OMBAC was able to put up a couple of late tries to claim a 25-15 Super League preseason match up. For those who have followed OMBAC and U.S. rugby for the past 15 years would have recognized some faces on the S.F. Golden Gate team. Jay Wilkerson, who hounded OMBAC for years as a member of Belmont Shore, was still hanging in there at the age of 37. Former OMBAC flanker Aaron Smith, Gate’s best player on the day, bound down on the side of the scrum. Tony Daly, a member of the 1991 World Champion Australian Wallabies anchored the Golden Gate scrum. And another former front-rower, Bill LeClerc, who played on several National Champion sides with Aspen, is now SFGG’s head coach. Despite going into the breeze in the first half, OMBAC took a 10-3 lead into the interval as hard charging #8 Henry Schaaf crashed over for the half’s lone try. The rest of the OMBAC points came off the boot of Alistair Steele on a penalty and conversion. Golden Gate could only manage a penalty from flyhalf Grant Wells. Down by seven, Golden Gate got it going early in the second half, securing an edge in possession and territory. The pressure finally resulted in a try to Golden Gate to tie the match at 10-all. Both teams had trouble maintaining continuity as lost possession at the tackle made for a back and forth second half battle. With 17 minutes left on the clock, OMBAC’s Dan Payne was called for a late hit on Wells just after the flyhalf stabbed a kick downfield. Not only was a penalty called but also the dreaded yellow card was pulled out of referee Dave Peter’s pocket and OMBAC would play the next 10 minutes a man down. Instead of buckling under the pressure, OMBAC, behind the rampaging runs of Conrad Hodgson and Schaaf, found new purpose and put over 10 points in Payne’s absence, while keeping Gate off the scoreboard. Former SDSU standout Tim Omi scored the go ahead try for OMBAC as the ball was spun wide by OMBAC debutante Riaan Hamilton to Omi, who cruised in from 25 meters out. Steele added those extras and another penalty to put OMBAC out in front 20-10 with just about eight minutes left to play. Payne tried valiantly to make amends for his sin-binning offense, barreling through Golden Gate defenders to set up Hodgson’s 78th minute try. The conversion was sent wide of the mark but as the game went to injury time, an OMBAC victory was in the bag. Golden Gate did manage a final try at the stroke of full-time to make the final OMBAC 25 – S.F. Golden Gate 15. “I was pleased with the defensive effort today,” said OMBAC assistant coach Bing Dawson. “We committed ourselves to the tackle and there were some telling blows. I think we have the personnel to cause teams problems, now we just have to put it all together.” In earlier matches in the day, OMBAC lost a heart breaking 18-17 decision to Las Vegas in a Southern California Division One contest. It was a seesaw game throughout that saw OMBAC with one last chance to pull out the win. Center Mark Pomare scored with less than two minutes on the clock but the makeable conversion was sent wide and that was the difference in the match. In addition to Pomare’s try, OMBAC received Yahtzees from props Troy Donaghue and Mike French. Fullback Stephen Neville converted Donaghue’s first half try. The loss drops OMBAC’s record to 3-4 in First Division play. In Division Two action, OMBAC’s first side got routed by a Malakai Delai led Riverside Rugby Club, 69-7. OMBAC’s second side started out the day with a narrow 20-17 win over Riverside’s seconds. There’s more rugby on tap this Saturday at the Little Q as OMBAC plays host to the Huntington Beach Unicorns in a Southern California Division One affair. The seconds for both sides are set to kick off at 1:30 while the First XV get underway at 3:00. OMBAC’s Division Two team will be on the road this Saturday as they play two matches at South Orange County.
Source: OMBACRugby.com
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