ST PAT'S won't be carrying the unbeaten tag into this weekend's Western Under 21s competition after hosts Forbes Magpies got the better of the Bathurst men in a close battle at Spooner Oval on Saturday.
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Pat's gave up their half-time lead as they went down 18-16 to Forbes in a curtain raiser to the night's Brendon 'Stubby' Collits Memorial match.
Isaac Nash led the way for Forbes with a hat-trick.
Brad Clifton and Nash's tries in quick succession pushed Forbes out to an early 8-0 lead.
St Pats brought it back to 8-4 before the quarter-time drinks break thanks to Cooper Akroyd, and continued to apply the pressure when play resumed.
That led to Akroyd scoring his second and thanks to Cooper Neilsen's conversion bouncing in off the post the Saints took the lead three minutes before half-time.
However, Nash bagged another two tries to put Forbes back in command with an 18-10 lead six minutes out from full-time.
The Saints fought back with a try to Nic Barlow but they couldn't regain their lead.
"Last week we were pretty disappointed with how everything went (with a loss to Dubbo Macquarie)," Forbes coach Jason Kennedy said.
"Today we just wanted a bit of energy, a bit of talk."
St Pat's vice-captain and former Magpie junior Aaron Mawhinney said his team had their chances to put the game away.
"We're pretty disappointed. I don't think we had our heads screwed on and I think the boys thought it might have been a bit of a walkover game because we hadn't lost one yet," he said.
"But a few of us have played with Forbes before, coming over from the Group 11 competition, and we knew that they were going to turn up, especially in front of a home crowd. That's what they did, and we weren't ready to play.
"A lot of silly penalties brought them back into the game and gave them the opportunity to win. They weren't the better side by any means. We definitely beat ourselves on the day and that's how they ended up coming back at the end."
In the weekend's other results Dubbo CYMS beat Dubbo Macquarie 28-6 while in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon Orange CYMS were 52-12 over Woodbridge Cup.
Minor premiers Dubbo CYMS will play Forbes in next weekend's semi-finals while St Pat's face Dubbo Macquarie.
FORBES MAGPIES 18 (Isaac Nash 3, Bradley Clifton tries; Connor Greenhalgh goal) defeated BATHURST ST PAT'S 16 (Cooper Akroyd 2, Nic Barlow tries; Cooper Neilsen 2 goals)
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Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
