Rays stung in first defeat since 2014
THE all-conquering Gold Coast Stingrays have started a new Gridiron Queensland season with a rare result – their first loss in three seasons.
Chasing their seventh Sunbowl in a row and 10th over 11 years, the Stingrays fell 20-19 to a last-gasp touchdown by the Bayside Ravens in Saturday’s opener at Glennon Park.
There were only 30 seconds left on the clock when the Ravens handed the Rays their first defeat since Round 2, 2014.
That was when the Kenmore Bears won 30-8 at Hyde Park in Browns Plains.
“They are a far, far improved team,” Rays coach Ben Walker said of the Ravens.
“And we had some players missing so we started some rookies in defence.”
The losses did not look likely costing the Rays but two dropped passes in their attacking end zone cost the Sunbowl champions dearly.
Bright news for the Stingrays is the fact they have so many young players that they are fielding two colts sides this season, the Blues and the
Whites.
The Blues are predominantly made up of last year’s champions and the Whites are mostly players new to the code.
They clashed against each other on Saturday and it took two touchdowns in the last 27 seconds to get the Blues home 60-52 after they trailed 48-52.