RUGBY UNION
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THE Bathurst Bulldogs suffered a shock 28-24 loss to the Parkes Boars in their Central West Rugby Union first grade clash in Parkes on Saturday.
It was the Boars' first win of the season and cost the Bulldogs the chance to move to a four-from-five record.
The result in itself was a major upset, but it wasn't just the final score that would have raised eyebrows. The manner in which it was achieved surprised as well.
After half an hour of football, Bulldogs looked headed for a victory and a significant one at that.
They had crossed the stripe three times and looked certain to score a couple more. However, bad hands intervened, and in a flash the home side made them pay dearly.
"We had started off very well, our rugby was excellent in that first little period. We had all the ball and all the territory and we'd put on some good tries," Bulldogs co-coach Brian Roberson said.
"We were up 21-5 and that could have been more if we didn't bomb a couple of extra tries.
"Then in the space of a few minutes, we let in two quick tries and went to the break only leading 21-19. We should have led by nearly 30."
In the second half Bathurst were only able to add a penalty goal which meant Parkes sharpshooter Dan Ryan proved the difference as he piloted over three penalties.
Roberson lamented his side's drop off in intensity and acknowledged the effort of the Boars to lift against a side expected to have little trouble dispatching them.
"We missed some penalties ourselves in the second half, so there was a chance there for us to win it regardless, but we certainly lost our way out there," he said.
"That was obviously the best game Parkes have played this year and they have some quality players, Dan Ryan and Israel Symington are Central West representatives, Johnny Rathbone at halfback is an excellent player as well and played a strong match.
"Our work at the breakdown definitely needs to lift, we aren't winning enough 50-50 ball. Our line-out was pretty sloppy, and our communication also let us down.
"They had a vocal home crowd and it lifted them, whereas we dropped our intensity and got into playing scrappy football.
"We still had some good contributors. Adam Dwyer and Izaak Breen were both strong with the ball and made good yards, and Bart Bogart scored a couple of nice tries early on."
Roberson would have been hoping in the first half of the competition for his side to show that it belongs in premiership calculations alongside the likes of Orange Emus, Orange City and the Dubbo Kangaroos.
But he admitted they have some work to do in order to reach that level.
"We can't consider ourselves among the contenders at this stage, not after a performance like that," he concluded.
PARKES BOARS 28 defeated BATHURST BULLDOGS 24