France v Peace Team

France 5.5 (35) d Peace Team 4.5 (29)

France Coqs managed to scrape a six-point win against improved Peace Team to put the French Roosters into the division two Grand Final.

The game started out as an arm wrestle, with both sides struggling to hit targets under pressure. 

France were doing all the attacking, but couldn’t convert until Gregoire Patacq kicked the first goal of the game.

The Peace Team had chances, but couldn’t get on the board minaly through decision making errors such as having a running shot on goal and putting it out on the full, instead of kicking to the man loose in the goalsquare.

At quarter time France 1.1 led Peace Team 0.0 with the start of the second term seeing the French pull further ahead through a mark and goal to Bouron.

Nimrod Vromen for the Peace Team got their first on the board, followed up by Bouron’s second for France, this time from a free kick. 

The French had all the run, although the Peace Team’s pressure at the man was making it hard for them to finish.  Peace Team's Kamal Abu Althom  was marking strongly, creating opportunities through the centre.

Patacq kicked his second major a few minutes later from the opposite pocket to put the French three goals up. 

The Peace Team had a chance to pull the margin back when Almanasra marked the ball in the goal square, but he only managed a point from dead in front, the half time score 4.1 to 1.2 in favour of the French.

At half time, Dipper exhorted his Peace Team charges to get back to basics, noting that they’d given away too many easy frees and missed goals they should have nailed.

The third quarter began with a free to the Peace Team and for the first half of the term, it looked like they were set to rally, goaling through Benvenisty and a brilliant running goal on a tight angle to Abu Althom. 

France regained their momentum, but couldn’t kick a goal, going to the three quarter time break France 4.3 to Peace Team 3.2.

In the last term, fatigue showed on both teams in warm conditions. 

The Peace Team looked as if they might come back, getting within a kick late in the match, but  after a free kick to the Peace Team after the siren only added a point., it was France's game by seven points.

A valiant effort by the Peace Team but no win today.  France will go through to the division two Grand Final on Friday where they're likely to face Fiji Tribe.