**Magpies continue winning streak with Sea Eagles demolition**
Author
Dan Talintyre
Timestamp
Sun 25 Apr 2021, 01:00 PM
Western Suburbs Magpies have extended their winning streak to five games in a row with a comfortable 46-6 win over the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in today's Knock On Effect NSW Cup game.
Boosted by a strong lineup including several NRL players, Ben Gardiner's side led from start to finish against the Sea Eagles — running in four tries to one in the first half before controlling the match well to emerge with a 40-point win.
Dropping back from the NRL side, young front row forward Thomas Mikaele was strong for the Magpies — bagging the opening try while producing a number of tough carries in his first stint — while Kiah Cooper continued his excellent try-scoring to start the season with four four-pointers on the day.
The win sees Western Suburbs move back to second on the competition ladder ahead of next week's clash against a Dragons side on the bottom of the table.
With Mikaele and Cooper both crossing for tries inside the opening 10 minutes, it was the home side who played off the front foot for the majority of the first half.
Good scramble defence from Wests kept their try-line in tact — Tom Amone producing an incredible one-on-one strip over the line to deny the Sea Eagles — before Cooper's vision saw him run the length of the field for an intercept try.
Madden's wayward conversions kept the score at 12-0 despite the home side's marked dominance, before hooker Jacob Liddle and lock forward Tom Freebairn combined to go further in front just short of the hour mark.
Zac Saddler got the visitors on the board in the final play of the first half, which would certainly have frustrated Coach Ben Gardiner, but it didn't take away from the Magpies' first half dominance as they went to the lead up by 12 points.
Wests began the second half as quickly as they began the first, with Liddle taking advantage of some lazy marker defence to restore the hosts' 18-point lead.
Regan Hughes got in on the try-scoring on the 57th minute mark when he reacted quickest to a kick from Madden that saw Brad Keighran placed on report for dangerous contact, before Joey Leilua sent Cooper over for his third try shortly after to put the game beyond doubt with 20 minutes to play.
Edenn Rogers-Smith went off injured late in a blow for the Magpies but it was one-way traffic in terms of points, with Cooper bagging his fourth try in the final minutes to confirm a big result for the home side and their fifth win in a row.
**Western Suburbs Magpies 46 (Cooper 3, Mikaele, Freebairn, Liddle, Hughes tries; Madden 4/7, Walters 1/1 goals) def. Blacktown-Workers Sea Eagles 6 (Saddler tries; Keighran 1/1 goals) at Bankwest Stadium**
