Byron Bay have been bundled out of the 2022 NRRRL by a tenacious Evans Head who won last Sunday’s match 22–21 at Red Devil Park.
The game was in the balance right up to full time after Evans Head scored a field goal to give themselves a one-point lead with just four minutes left on the clock. Despite some extreme effort from the home side they ran out of time, and the opportunity for a premiership in 2022.
The game was brought alive in the second half when a revitalised Red Devils took charge of momentum and clawed their way back from a 20–6 half time deficit.
The first half saw the visiting Bombers playing creative but direct football that saw them run too freely in the outside channels and scoring down the left wing on three occasions. Defensive lapses and handling errors kept the Red Devils on the back foot and with plenty to do in the last 40 minutes.
They responded to the challenge and dominated the game deep into the second half, and had drawn level with 20 minutes to go. The momentum, and the crowd, right behind them. They crossed over again, but the try was disallowed.
They managed to hit the lead in the final quarter through a field goal from close quarters, but almost immediately the Bombers mirrored the tactic at the other end and the game was locked in at 21–21 with only a few minutes to go.
In only their second foray into the Red Devils red zone for the half, they again came away with a field goal to give them the lead – and the win – and a place in next’s week major semi final.
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