It looked as if it was going to be an easy win for Group 10 rugby league front runners Workies when they led Pat’s 34-12 just after half time, but a combination of ill-discipline, poor handling and a failure to stick to the game plan saw them have to battle hard in the dying stages to keep the visitors from tying up the match.

St Pat’s coach Kevin Grimshaw said after the match that he was disappointed by the first half effort of his team but felt a draw would have been a fair outcome.

“It was pretty disappointing, especially that first half. Workies capitalised on all of our mistakes but our boys didn’t throw in the towel and that was the bonus to come out of it,” he said.

“In the second half we played some good footy and a draw probably would have been a fitting result from the two halves. They dominated the first half but we came back in the second half and capitalised on our opportunities.

“We ended up scoring as many tries, it was just goals that proved the difference,” he said.

St Patricks got away to a dream start when a short kick-off by Workies was snapped up by Mick Amstrong who sprinted 50 metres downfield before being pulled down.

Five eighth Tim Holman was first on the scene to take the ball and dive over for the opening try one minute into the game.

The Wolves hit back two minutes later with a try to Steve Muldoon and with the Terry Crane conversion, the Wolves were leading 6-4 after four and a half minutes.

The crowd was then treated to one of the best tries seen at Lithgow Sportsground for many years when big second rower Brendon Van Veen looked like a one man wrecking ball when he powered his way down the sideline in a 60 metre run to score.

He smashed everything in his way palming off defenders and running over the top of them on his way to the tryline.