A controversial send-off has helped the Mudgee Dragons to a thumping 44-point victory over Bathurst St Pat’s at Glen Willow Stadium yesterday.

Ben Thompson was given his marching orders in the 31st minute for lashing out after an alleged bite on the finger from Hamish Bryant.

The incident saw Thompson take an early shower and Bryant book another date with the Group 10 judiciary after recently returning from a lifting tackle charge.

The incident created a fiery tension to the clash with the Dragons able to exploit the numbers advantage to run out massive winners.

Mudgee captain Jared Robinson said he was happy his side was able to make the most of the advantage as they put on a nine tries to one performance.

“It plays a bit of a role because their middle third had to do a lot more work, but in saying that we still had to have the patience to play the right way and have patience with the ball in hand,” Robinson said. “You look at this week compared to last week and it’s chalk and cheese. It shows if we stick to our game plan and play good footy that can put sides away.”

The send-off was the turning point in the game as the clash went from an arm-wrestle to a lopsided affair very quickly, despite both teams aiming up with some brutal defence.

St Pats’ Mick Armstrong said the side can’t continue to turn the ball over and not expect to have the score run up on them.

“It’s tough to play with only 12 guys and the judiciary will look into it [the send off], that’s the way things go,” Armstrong said. “But we can’t keep playing the same way as we have all year and tackling, tackling, tackling, without having a score put on us like Mudgee did today, credit to them.

“The guys that are picked need to do a job and it was a pretty disappointing way for the game to end up.”

Mudgee drew first blood when Jack Scurr bashed through the line and reached out, and despite a hint of double-movement, the try was awarded.

The Dragons were in again soon after when they were gifted an attacking set when Tim Collins fumbled a well-weighted kick, with Mudgee hooker Ben Thompson not needing a second invitation to find the line.

When St Pat’s were within sight of the Mudgee line the shape of their attack flattened and they showed a lack of spark.

Mudgee’s forward rumbled downfield well after repelling the Saints from their line before a clever grubber from Jeremy Lang was missed by the away side with Nathan Orr pouncing on the loose ball.

St Pats’ comeback mission became that much harder when after the  Thompson send-off. 

St Pat’s started got on the board when Hudson White burrowed over from in close in what was a soft try as the margin narrowed to 16 at half-time.

MUDGEE DRAGONS 50 (Nathan Orr 2, Ben Thompson 2, Corin Smith, James O’Connell, Jack Scurr, Keiran Rankmore, Demitrius Ainuu tries; James O’Connell 7 goals) defeated ST PAT’S 6 (Hudson White try; Garry Reilly goal)