Lithgow Workies have bowed out of the 2017 Group 10 premiership race with a heavy 32-0 loss to the Mudgee Dragons in Saturday’s elimination semi-final.
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Workies successfully defeated Mudgee the previous weekend to book their spot in the finals but were thoroughly outclassed at Glen Willow Sporting Complex.
The Dragons have been dogged by injury all year but put the other Group 10 finalists on notice with a resounding performance in the first week of the finals.
They will go on to play the Bathurst Panthers in another do or die clash this Saturday.
Lithgow Workies didn’t get a look in for the full 80 minutes however they managed to keep it tight in the first half.
Mudgee’s Andrew Laurie and Jared Robinson ran over two unconverted tries for the home side leaving the score at 8-0 at the break.
Workies would have hoped for a repeat performance of their final regular season match where they came back to pip the Dragons at the post after trailing at half-time.
But it wasn’t to be as Mudgee stepped on the gas in the second period.
Lee Hicks scored a converted try in the 44th minute to push the lead to 14-0 and then it was time for Ethen Butler to completely take the game away from Lithgow.
Butler ran in three tries in eight minutes to blow the score out to 26-0 and lock the game up for Mudgee by the 55 minute mark.
Sam Wooden converted the third of Butler’s four-pointers and Lee Hicks added his second try to bring the final score to 32-0.
Lithgow Workies league tag side gave supporters hope of an upset win over the Blayney Bears as they lead 6-8 at halftime.
However Blayney showed their class in the second half scoring 16 unanswered points to take the game 22-8.
Tiarna Anderson and Keely Haddon scored the tries for Workies.
Workies season is now over and Blayney will go on to play Bathurst Panthers on Sunday.