By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Berwick Miners’ hopes of making the Gridiron Victoria Division 1 play-offs are still alive after an astonishing performance on their Rawling Field home at Sydney Pargeter Reserve on Sunday.
Taking to the field in horrendous conditions after a preceding Division 2 game turned the playing surface to nothing more than mud and slush, the Miners gave up a touchdown to the Melbourne Uni Royals in the opening stages of their clash.
But what happened next was nothing short of remarkable – 52 straight points to come away with a gobsmacking 52-6 win that few, if any, saw coming.
The avalanche of points started with a Matt Gatpan touchdown and a successful two-point conversion on a quarterback sneak by Brad Fraser.
Fraser’s influence just couldn’t be ignored with a swing pass finding Nick Vladimir for another touchdown. While that two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, Gatpan crossed for a rushing touchdown soon after. Fraser then made good on that two-pointer with a cunning fake run.
Following that, a 60-yard drive resulted in a touchdown on a screen pass to Andrew Jarvis, who followed up his stellar work on a two-point run. But the frantic action didn’t stop there – far from it. Scott McGuiness picked up a dropped backwards pass, giving the ball back to the offense. Fraser found Sean Embery and, again, Jarvis ran in the two-point.
A 50-yard touchdown pass to Brad Ferguson, and a 40-yard run from Gatpan and followed by a successful two-point conversion capped off one of the more remarkable offensive displays seen in recent times in Gridiron Victoria competition.
With four wins from their 10 games so far in the Division 1 Conference A, the Miners are in fourth spot – just two points adrift of the Bendigo Dragons.
Berwick will next battle it out this Saturday from 1.30pm, again at Rawling Field in Endevour Hills – this time against the Croydon Rangers.
