The Queanbeyan Blues travelled across the border and into the capital with one thing on their mind, a win.
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A 46-18 win was an added bonus in the top-of-the-table Canberra Raiders Cup clash between the Blues and the West Belconnen Warriors on Sunday.
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The Blues crossed early, and from there did not concede their lead once, although West Belconnen's Bayley Graham made it a two-point game, before Bobby Roberts' boot evened it 6-6.
Queanbeyan player-coach Terry Campese said his side had not had the best results on the road this season, and the round nine win was crucial to climb into third.
"The top five teams are pretty congested, so it was a massive game for us," he said.
"Especially playing Westies at their home ground, as they're probably one of the toughest teams away from home.
"But our completions were some of the highest in my time at the club, 80-odd per cent."
A dropped ball by the home side in their 20 allowed the Blues to immediately take back the lead. Campese crossed to break the deadlock before kicking the conversion for a 12-6 lead.
It was another loose ball by the Warriors in their 20 that saw the Blues cross for their third. This time it was George Morseu who crossed for Queanbeyan, before Campese made it 18-6 from the tee.
The next was a Jake Butler-Fleming special five minutes before half-time to extend their lead to 18.
Warriors fullback Ryan McQueen gave the home crowd some hope of clawing back points when he broke the line minutes before they went back into the sheds, but no one followed for an offload.
It was again the Blues who crossed first in the second half. Jomal Nchouki crossed in the corner to quieten the home crowd even more at Raiders Belconnen, with the visitors' lead extended to 28-6. Leo Tuionetoa lessened the margin for the home side to chase down, as tensions fired up between the crowd and the visiting side. Roberts'] settled the crowd when he then made it 28-12 from the tee on the sideline.
The Warriors took control of the game after their second try but could not convert, as the Blues defended set after set in their own half, until the Blues' Atunasia Tupou forced his way through a number of Warriors to find the line, and again it was an 18-point game. Soon the visitors were in again, as the Blues five-eighth showed the accuracy of his boot, Campese sent a high kick in front of the posts and teammate Tristan Eldridge made short work of it.
Pride was on the line for the home side as it looked to lessen the blow on the scorecard. A penalty inside the 20 gave the Warriors their chance. Kirren Roughley crossed just outside the posts, making it an easy conversion for Roberts and a 40-18 game.
Before Cyprian Ale rounded out the game by palming Warriors defenders away and crossing, to extend Queanbeyan's lead 46-18.
The Blues sit one point behind the Warriors and Tuggeranong Bushrangers on the ladder.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
