St Pat’s have a share of the Group 10 lead after they slayed the Dragons at Mudgee 20-18 yesterday in front of the biggest crowd seen at Glen Willow Stadium this year.
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St Pat’s fought back twice to snatch the win from the Dragons, who have more injury concerns.
Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock could not fault his team’s performance despite both sides playing an error-riddled and ill-disciplined match.
“They probably completed [sets] a lot better than we did and the only thing that sort of held us in was our D [defence],” Hancock said.
“We spoke about that during the week and that was the pleasing thing. Our attack was a bit off, but we will take two points.”
With his side in equal first position with Mudgee, and with games against Orange Hawks and CYMS to come, this was a huge win for St Pat’s.
“At the start of the year our goal was top two and we felt we’ve got the side to do that. At the moment that goal is becoming more realistic for us,” Hancock said.
“If we end up with the minor premiership, we do. But there is still a lot of water under the bridge yet.”
For the Dragons, try-scoring sensation Corin Smith went off clutching his right shoulder, while player-coach Jack Afamasaga’s leg injury is worse than first thought and he could miss the rest of the season.
Dragons’ co-captain Jared Robinson was disappointed.
“We wanted to win that one, especially at home,” he said. “It pretty much guaranteed the minor premiership if we got that one.
“We’ve been the same all year – we’ve been patchy. We’ve been real good in parts and, unfortunately, we’ve been pretty bad in other spots, and that was evident again here today.”
Mudgee could not have asked for a better start.
Their kick-off bounced into touch, they then tackled St Pat’s in-goal and, on their second set inside the Saints’ 20 metres, Chris Ward sliced his way through to score the first try of the match.
The Dragons had more opportunities with the ball in the Saints’ territory and it wasn’t too long before they were rewarded when Tim Condon scored to make it 8-0.
Midway through the first half, St Pat’s centre Dave Howard dropped the ball and Mudgee counter-attacked through Hamish Bryant, who passed it off to Nathan Orr for a runaway try and a 12-0 lead.
St Pat’s searched for a way back into the game and hooker Benjamin John delivered when he slipped his way through some flimsy defence to score.
Just before half-time, a Cameron Neville kick bounced up nicely for Jake Bright, who scored near the posts. Five-eighth Garry Reilly added the extras to make it 12-all at the break.
Mistakes and penalties dominated the opening of the second stanza, neither team showing the football that put them at the top of the table.
Mudgee struck first in the second half when Orr scored his second. Tom Lewsley’s sideline conversion made it 18-12.
But St Pat’s hit back almost immediately when quick hands put Mick Armstrong over in the corner for an 18-16 scoreline.
With referee Jason Whitney’s whistle getting a workout by both teams, the flow of the game was continually interrupted.
Mudgee had an opportunity to score, but Lewsley was tackled into touch.
A minute later, down the other end, a Lewsley knock-on from a high bomb allowed St Pat’s to score from the scrum when Cep Ale burst through Smith and Condon’s tackle attempt.
The try was not converted and the visitors led 20-18 with 10 minutes remaining.
Condon tried to make amends a short time later when he grubber-kicked the ball through on the St Pat’s line, but fullback Ben Hews defused the situation.
Mudgee had another crack with a minute left but, when they turned the ball over, the game was the Saints’.
Hooker John was one of the best for the blue and whites, as were Ale and prop Luke Single.
It was Mudgee’s fourth loss in five weeks and Robinson said the way back for his team is simple.
“We just have to play smarter and we’ve been saying that all year.”
BATHURST ST PAT’S 20 (Mick Armstrong, Jake Bright, Benjamin John, Cep Ale tries; Garry Reilly 2 goals) defeated MUDGEE DRAGONS 18 (Nathan Orr 2, Tim Condon, Chris Ward tries; Tom Lewsley goal).