CSU finished its Blowes Clothing Cup season on a high on Saturday, running in nine tries for a 61-12 win over the Mudgee Wombats at University Oval.
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Right winger Chris Porter crossed four times for the students, who made it three wins for 2017 to avoid the wooden spoon.
“I think we deserved that, it’s good to actually put 50 points on a team rather than have that against us all the time,” CSU coach Scott Hatch said.
“We started really strong, we played it hard through the middle then we went wide. We had a few tries disallowed as well, so it could have been 30 or 40 at half-time.”
Porter had a brace by half-time while, fullback Lachie Robinson and winger Harry Hunt also crossed to help CSU to a 28-0 lead.
That lead further increased from the opening passage of play in the second half with Robinson sliding through Mudgee’s left-hand defence before turning the ball back inside to Porter.
Porter had more work to do to score his fourth, beating a handful of Mudgee defenders before diving over in the corner. Jack Keppel slotted the sideline conversion to make it 42-0.
Mudgee finally found some joy when number 8 David Jessiman drove his way over with around an hour of play gone, but CSU’s reply was quick in coming.
Once again the students found joy when spreading the ball wide, Hunt bagging his second as he shrugged off several defenders down the left wing.
Jessiman joined the list of multiple scorers when he crossed again for Mudgee, but the final 15 minutes belonged to the home side.
Robinson split Mudgee straight up the middle of the ruck and ran away to score under the sticks, the fullback then capping off an impressive season as he set up the final try.
Again he found space in the Wombats’ defensive line, before turning the ball back inside to Keppel. The flyhalf could have crossed himself, but unselfishly gave prop Charlie McInstosh – who had missed most of the season due to a broken leg – the honours.
It was a fitting way for CSU to finish its season.
“Some of the things I was most proud of was the effort we put in the Emus game, the Forbes game, even our old boys day against Dubbo. While the scorelines didn’t make it look that way, they were really strong performances, Orange City was a great game too,” Hatch said.
“Against some of these better teams we really stepped up and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Though Mudgee forfeited second grade and were below strength for the first grade match, Hatch still acknowledged the Wombats’ effort.
“They have struggled all year too, so credit to them for sticking in and playing out the season,” he said.