The Mustangs beat the Devils 42 to 14 in their regular-season clash on September 26th. It was a result that put an end to a run the visitors had been on since mid-September. By then, the Devils had lost three games in a row and were looking for something to break the momentum. The home side showed they could respond after a difficult patch of their own.
The Devils had come off back-to-back defeats against the Pride, losing 15 to 17 both times. That was followed by a 17 to 30 loss to the Lions, and they arrived in this fixture with nothing going their way. They couldn't find a rhythm against the Mustangs either, and the margin told the story straight away.
The Mustangs hadn't been flying high themselves. They'd lost 24 to 28 to the Cougars on consecutive weekends, which had been a worrying sign. But they'd bounced back with wins over the Monarchs and the Eagles before this match. To be fair, they put that form behind them with a performance that left little doubt about who was playing better.
And here's the thing about this kind of result — it's not just about the points on the board. The Mustangs showed they could handle the pressure of a home game after their recent struggles. The Devils, meanwhile, had another day to forget, and the gap between them and a win kept growing.
That 42 to 14 scoreline doesn't lie. One team had the answers, and the other didn't. The Mustangs now have something to build on, while the Devils have more work to do before they find their footing again.
