JONESBORO, Ark. - Arkansas State and Davenport met at ASU's Curt Huckaby Field in a clash of #4 and #5 seeds. An early Warrick Day penalty goal, from 47 meters out, opened the scoring and a marginally shorter kick from Day made it 6-0 at 14 minutes. Playing with the wind, ASU was able to spend most of the game inside the Davenport half, but the Panthers' defense was outstanding.
The penalties started to come and Arkansas State ran a tap move that opened the door for Evan Roode to charge over. Day converted and it was 13-0.
Points, however, would be very hard to come by. Davenport continued to defend with power and it was only their indiscipline that offered scoring chances. As the first half ended, Day had two 49-meter attempts at goal. He missed the first, but with no time left in the first period, put the second one over for a 16-0 wind-aided lead.
Naturally the second half would be a different story. Davenport looked to gain territory by breaking tackles, and they did that, working their way into the ASU 22 before the ball was shipped wide to Joe Bennie, who scored on the wing. DU wasn't done as under pressure ASU infringed, and a tap penalty from lock Saul Pitout saw the big man power his way over. Christiaan van der Westhuizen uncharacteristically missed the conversion and it was 16-10.
Arkansas State's defense came to the fore and pinned Davenport in their half for a long period. But finally the Panthers got in scoring position again, got a couple of penalties and while Pitout was stopped on his charge, the ball was sent quickly to another big man in Tamuka Kambani and he was in under the sticks. The conversion was good and Davenport led 17-16 with about 10 minutes to go.
Having had almost not a look at the tryline for the second half, ASU found what they needed. Fullback Ned Madden broke through and was almost away all by himself. He found Roode in support, who kept the movement going. Eventually Davenport infringed, and off a lineout the Red Wolves ran the phases before scrumhalf Francesco Gallia popped and inside pass to Roode, who dove over for the try. It was a brilliant showing from the Scholz Award nominee. Madden converted and it was 23-17 with less than four minutes left. That is how it ended ... a classic match between two Mid-South rivals.
article written by Goff Rugby Report
