The Illawarra Cutters defeated the Wentworthville Magpies 44-18 at WIN Stadium, Wollongong on Saturday.
After trailing early, Illawarra ran away with the game, moving into second in the process.
The Magpies were first on the board in the fifth minute when five-eighth Ryan Matterson scored next to the posts after an earlier Illawarra error.
Luke Kelly converted for a 6-0 lead.
Ten minutes later the away side extended their lead through Liam Foran when the dummy-half burrowed over close to the line.
Kelly converted again to lead 12-0.
This lead by the Magpies pushed the Cutters to be better and they scored in the 19th minute from a dummy-half run out wide by Nathan Green.
Kyle Stanley converted the difficult kick to reduce the lead to 12-6.
In the 25th minute, halfback Drew Hutchison went himself and reached out to score for the home side.
Stanley made no mistake to even the scores at 12-12.
The Cutters were on a roll and three minutes later winger Kiti Glymin ran 20 metres out wide and scored in the corner.
Five minutes from half-time the home side extended their lead when Dylan Farrell intercepted a pass and ran 85 metres to score next to the posts.
Kyle Stanley got his third conversion for the game as Illawarra lead 22-12.
In the last play of the half, Nathan Green scored his second of the game after a great break from Kyle Eather before some quick passes found the try scorer.
Stanley converted again to give the Cutters a 28-12 lead at half-time.
Ten minutes into the second-half the home team scored again when a run off the scrum by Kyle Eather saw him score under the posts.
Sam Duggan took over the kicking duties and had the easy task for a 34-12 lead.
Wentworthville scored their third try of the afternoon on the hour mark when Peni Terepo barged over to the right of the posts.
Luke Kelly converted again to reduce the gap to 34-18.
Two minutes later Illawarra killed off any thought of a comeback when a set play from the scrum saw Charly Runciman score his first try for the game.
With ten minutes remaining in the game the Cutters sealed the win.
A shift from right to left saw Runciman receive the ball and use his strength to beat a couple of defenders and score his second of the game.
Sam Duggan made sure to put the final touch on the victory with the kick and a 44-18 Illawarra victory.
Illawarra Cutters 44. Tries: Green (2), Hutchison, Glymin, Farrell, Eather, Runciman (2). Goals: Stanley (4/5), Duggan (2/3).
Wentworthville Magpies 18. Tries: Matterson, Foran, Terepo. Goals: Kelly (3/3).
