Pat’s produced some dreary football to match the conditions as the Bears’ more direct play through the middle of the park paid dividends in the wet weather.

The visiting side too often tried to spread the ball early in the tackle count, often coming a cropper in the rain, while the Bears used their size to do the work.

Blayney captain-coach Dane Howarth led the way, making metres all match and laying the foundation for the hosts to go to work.

As well, the Bears’ halves pairing of Terry Brown and Steve Lane played at the top of their game, so the Saints were always going to be in for a hard day.

Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock said his team’s decision to run wide made things difficult right from the opening sets of the match.

“Too many errors. It’s a simple game and we made it harder than it should have been. Conditions probably didn’t suit us today, but Blayney also had to play in it. They played a simple game of footy,” he said.

“We got away from our game plan early. We never handled the day really well. 

“From the time it started raining to the full-time whistle we never handled the conditions.”

Hancock is already thinking about next year, as he is looking to mix up both the team and the training schedule.

“It’s a disappointing way to end. Now we’ll try and keep the boys fit through the pre-season next year and change things around a little bit, which we’re already planning,” he said.

“We’ll enjoy the next couple of days with a few drinks together. We’re already into the planning for next year, even with the optional extra day a week like Orange CYMS have been doing.”

The first big chance of the game came from a big Howarth run 10m out from the Pat’s line, but his offload wound up in Pat’s hands.

It was Lane who opened the account for the Bears just four minutes later as his choice to run the ball on the fifth tackle took the Saints by surprise.

Travis Winanara muscled his way over for the only Pat’s try of the half, but the visitors’ leveller did little to halt the Bears’ momentum.

After setting up camp in the Pat’s half, the Bears looked set to go over again before a Garry Reilly intercept looked to have cut out the danger.

It wasn’t to be as he was not only called back for offside, but the Bears rubbed salt in the wound by scoring off the next set through Cameron Dennis.

Pat’s were then punished for not abiding by the old saying of ‘always play the whistle’ when Bears fullback Jesse Nixon scooped up a loose ball to score, despite the visitors’ appeal for a penalty.

Up 18-6 at half-time, the Bears looked in complete control and that didn’t change in the back 40 minutes.

It didn’t even take 60 seconds for the Bears to extend the lead when Lane bagged his second try of the day, his huge dummy fooling the Pat’s defence as he dived over by the posts.

The first of two Brown 40-20s for the day led to Lane kicking a field goal and pushing the score out to 25-6.

Errors continued to cripple Pat’s, who struggled to go beyond the halfway line.

Brown’s second 40-20 set up Howarth for a well-earned try on the very first hit-up after the kick.

Brown picked up a try himself to seal the deal with just over 15 minutes still to play.

An Adam Morton try for Pat’s did little to lift the cloud hanging both literally and figuratively above the Saints supporters.

Howarth’s assessment of the game, unlike the weather, was glowing.

“It’s definitely the best 80 minutes we’ve put together this year. Considering the conditions, it was a very good performance,” he said.

“I’m very happy with the boys. Last week against Lithgow [Workies] we only played 40 minutes of football ... so we knew coming out here today we had to play simple footy, and we had to execute. 

“I thought Terry Brown and Steve Lane were phenomenal today ... that’s three or four weeks in a row Terry’s kicking game has been on song. He’s really, really come into his own in the back half of the year.”

BLAYNEY BEARS 37 (Steve Lane 2, Terry Brown, Jesse Nixon, Cameron Dennis, Dane Howarth tries; Dennis 6 conversions; Lane field goal) defeated ST PAT’S 10 (Travis Wininara, Adam Morton tries; Garry Reilly conversion)