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THE Group 10 rugby league match between Lithgow Workmens Club and Bathurst St Pats was a battle for survival as the two teams slogged it out in the atrocious conditions with St Pats winning the battle 16-10.
Rain and strong winds raked across the Lithgow Showground for the entire game making handling almost impossible with both sides having trouble with the muddy and slippery ball.
Both sides were ‘allowed’ to stand off side which made it doubly hard for the runners as defenders moved up fast which also added to the handling mistakes.
St Pats would have come to Lithgow fairly confident as they are sitting on second place on the competition ladder while the Wolves had yet to win a game.
But there were made to struggle all the way with only one try the difference.
It was an entertaining match considering the conditions, but it was St Pats that took advantage of the Wolves’ mistakes to come out on top.
All the tries came from mishandling with St Patricks first try coming after a comedy of errors.
First Workies dropped a high towering bomb, followed by St Pats knocking on from the scrum, then the Wolves followed suit when they too knocked on.
St Pats’ Shannon Peters finally hung onto the ball to outpace the defence to score out wide.
St Patricks had first use of the near gale force wind and used it to good effect as they kicked deep and worked hard in defence for a Wolves’ mistake.
They were rewarded when, from another Wolves’ dropped ball, Nathan Lawrence scored eight minutes before halftime to go 8-nil up.
The Wolves were missing a number of their regular first graders, but showed plenty of courage to fight back and from a kick by Josh Jones, St Patricks could not handle the skidding ball and Workies lock Mitch Case dived on the ball to score to make it 8-4.
St Patricks received a penalty right on the halftime bell with Gary Reilly converting to give them a lead of 10-4.
Workies did not have much luck weatherwise with the wind dying down in the second half, but played some good football to get themselves deep in St Patricks’ territory.
Wolves’ half Josh Jones crossed and following a great towering kick from the sideline by Johnathon Van Veen the scores were locked up at 10-all and an upset was on the cards.
The forward clashes were brutal with runners unable to step away from oncoming defenders but both packs never backed off as they hit hard and often.
The winning try came late in the half when former Workies fullback Antonio Ale struck against his old club, wrong footing the defence to race over to score in the corner. Reilly converted to make the final score 16-10.
It was not a day for the ‘steppers’ with St Patricks’ best being Tyson Medlyn and Brady Cheshire while Gary Reilly’s kicking game made life difficult all day for the Wolves.
It was a gallant effort by Workies with their best being Johnathon and Brendan Van Veen, Brendon West while both hookers used (Harry Bender and young under 18 player Connor Legge) toiled hard in the tough conditions.
“It was a pretty good effort by the boys in what were tough conditions,” Van Veen said.
“St Pats have been going pretty good and we were right in the match right up until the last couple of minutes.
“With a bit of luck we could have won, but they took their chances and we didn’t.
“There was no lack of effort out there, we now have to regroup as we have another game on Friday night against Oberon.”
St Pat’s Kurt Hancock said: “”Our first half set up the win for us.
“At the end of the second half we had no field position.
“It was hard going and the ground was very muddy.
“Brady Cheshire, Travis Waninara and Daniel Bain were outstanding for us.
“Those three guys did very well in the middle.”
“Antonio Ale and Garry Reilly did a great job controlling the game as well.”
FIRST GRADE: Bathurst St Patricks 16 (Antonio Ale, Nathan Lawrance and Shannon Peters tries and Gary Reilly two goals) def Lithgow Workies 10 (Josh Jones and Mitch Case tries and Johnathon Van Veen a goal)
UNDER 18: Lithgow Workies 34 (Connor Legge 2 and Brad Ford, Ben Allan, Mitch Daley and Dylan Glynn tries and Glynn 3 goals) def Bathurst St Pats 10 (Riley Chelshire 2 and Alex Knight a goal).
OZ LEAGUE: Bathurst St Pats 36 (Darcy Morrison 2, Sarah Watterson 2, Amy Copping a try and a goal and Mish Somers a try and three goals) def Lithgow Workies nil.