Bowen Stars as Arrows Fight Back to Claim Two Bonus Points Against New York

The Arrows showed strong resolve to fight back and earn two bonus points in a narrow 29-27 defeat to the New York Ironworkers on Saturday afternoon, but the match will largely be remembered as the day a hometown player announced himself on North America’s biggest stage.

Local product D’Shawn Bowen scored a hat trick — executed in an electric, up-off-your-seat fashion — in his full debut for his hometown team, sparking a comeback effort that fell just short at York Lions Stadium.

Captain Lucas Rumball added the bonus-point try in front of more than 2,000 fans at Toronto’s home opener, while Sam Malcolm booted a conversion and a penalty goal to bring his points tally to an even 50 on the campaign.

The reigning champions were fastest out of the gate in the back-and-forth affair, scoring twice in the opening minutes of the match to jump out to a 10-point lead. Jack Heighton slotted a short-range penalty three minutes in, and Teihorangi Walden followed up with a try under the posts at the 10-minute mark.

New York looked poised to score again soon after, but a knock-on induced by a heavy Mike Sheppard tackle saw the loose ball scooped up by Lolani Faleiva just outside his own try line. The Kiwi’s offload went to Noel Reid, who in turn found Ross Braude in space. The No. 9 scrambled into Ironworkers territory before firing a pass to the support-running Bowen to finish off a memorable 100-metre scoring play. Malcolm tacked on the conversion.

The jubilation was short-lived, however, as it was a quick response from the visitors: Andrew Coe’s try off a well-worked move from a lineout, followed by Heighton’s extras, restored the 10-point lead ahead of the hydration break.

Malcolm added a penalty after New York was faulted for a high tackle, cutting the visitors’ lead to 17-10 after 20 minutes.

Bowen’s second try came minutes later, and it was just as spectacular as his first. Following a lineout and ensuing maul just inside Toronto’s half, Braude pass on the short side found the winger building up a head of steam. Bowen reached a gear that was unstoppable, showcasing his sevens-honed pace to race around five would-be tacklers and dot down under the uprights for the full seven points.

A late try from Fa’asiu Fuatai and conversion from substitute Sam Windsor made it 24-17 heading into halftime.

New York began the second half much like the first, scoring early through a slicing run from Nick Feakes, though the home side had an instant response. A disruptive tackle from James O’Neill freed the ball from New York hands, and it settled in the arms of Shane O’Leary, who sent a grubber behind the Ironworkers’ defensive line. Bowen was the man to collect and muscle across for his hat trick.

After Fuatai was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on substitute Dawson Fatoric, the Arrows struck again with the man advantage. Braude’s quick tap and nimble scamper brought possession deep into New York territory, and after a rampaging carry from Faleiva moved the Arrows close to the whitewash, a final pass from Fabian Goodall found Rumball in space, with the captain diving across for the try. Malcolm’s conversion cruelly bounced off the uprights and stayed out, keeping Toronto two points back of the lead.

The final quarter of the match saw both teams come close to scoring. Faleiva erupted from a breakdown and played a one-two with Braude, only to be stopped inside New York’s 5m. Later, Quinn Ngawati raced down the touchline with Toronto’s in-goal area in his sights, but had the ball ripped from his arms by Malcolm to stop the play in its tracks.

As the clock ticked down, the visitors restricted the Arrows to their own half, extinguishing the home side’s chances of completing the comeback.

Bowen’s three-try performance was just the second hat trick in franchise history, with Manuel Montero the only other Arrow to ever cross over for three tallies in a single match.

O’Leary made his first start for the club, and recent signees Shay Kerry and Peter Nelson came on in the second half for their MLR debuts.

Thirteen Arrows were unavailable for the game due to injury.

 

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Toronto (1-6; 8 points) enters Week 9 of the 2023 season with a home clash against conference leaders New England (5-2; 25 points) on Saturday, April 15. The Arrows hold a 1-3 all-time record against the Free Jacks; the Massachusetts outfit swept the season series in 2021 before the two teams shared the spoils with a home victory apiece last year.

The Eastern Conference clash at York Lions Stadium will kick off at 6 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase via AXS, with single game seats starting as low as $20.