Harold Matthews Cup: Steelers’ season ends with heartbreaker

The Rabbitohs drew first blood early in the contest with winger Dennishely Taukafa launching himself over in the right corner to make it 6-0.

The try was awarded despite the Steelers appearing to have done enough to push the Rabbitohs winger into touch.

South Sydney extended their lead beyond a converted try via a Payton Tarau penalty goal 10 minutes in after the Steelers were whistled for a late shot on the kicker.

Asher Chapman, who shifted into the fullback role pre-game to cover the loss of Ollie Burton, got the Steelers on the board a quarter of the way in showing off some terrific pace to cut through the line and past his opposite as they cut the deficit back to four.

It didn’t take long for Illawarra to secure their second try with Api Amone crashing over off some sharp dummy-half work courtesy of Kahui Chase after a savvy Jett Brookfield grubber forced an error to earn his side an attacking chance.

Tayler Humphries nailed the conversion to give the Steelers their first lead of the afternoon which they took into the half.

The Steelers were forced to deal with a heap of pressure to begin the second half as the Rabbitohs looked to have crossed on multiple occasions only for Illawarra’s scramble to come up trumps.

Halfback Charlie Bateup was held up over the line before Keone Anitelea Tsioussis was whistled for being offside as he claimed a try off a kick.

The Steelers went down the other end off it and extended their edge with Creighton Meafou skying to reel in a well-placed attacking kick and sending an around-the-corner flick the way of Sonny MacGregor who dove over in the corner to make it 14-8.

Co-captain Cooper Morrison claimed a try for Illawarra off a Brookfield grubber but was denied with officials ruling that he had pushed his way to the football illegally.

It was South Sydney who were next to cross however with fullback Darcy Feltham finding space down the left edge off a well-orchestrated sweep play and diving over.

Tarau’s conversion didn’t come back far enough as the Steelers maintained a two-point lead heading into the home stretch.

In heartbreaking fashion for the Steelers, Clayton McGoon went aerial to snatch the match-winner for the Rabbitohs in the final moments as Jamie Szczerbanik’s squad’s season came to a bitter end.