Macleay Valley Mustangs defeat Port City Breakers in Group 3 Rugby League

The Mustangs narrowly defeated last years premiers 26-24 at Port Macquarie on Sunday, July 23, to haul themselves to third place on the Group 3 Rugby League ladder with four rounds to go.

A sharp Port City side were red hot to start, running in three quick tries off the back of Mustangs' errors to lead 18-8 at halftime.

However, it was the Mustangs who came home hard in the second half, claiming three tries at the hands of Miles Mongta, Bailey Thompson and Timothy Bull while reducing Port City's best attacking efforts to one try.

Macleay Valley Mustangs coach Ant Cowan said the game was a "do-or-die" clash for the team.

"We had to treat this game as a grand final," he said. "This game determines a spot in the finals at the end of the year, so we had to win that game."

Port City Breakers captain-coach Richie Roberts said his team became complacent after an 18-8 lead at halftime.

"We clocked off early and didn't play for the full 80 minutes," he said. "Our respect for the ball and our unforced errors were pretty poor as well.

"We didn't keep the same intensity in the second half and let them get back in the game, and it eventually caught up to us in the last three minutes of the game."

While discipline cost the Mustangs in the first half, Cowan said he was proud of the team's efforts as they battled with positional changes and the loss of Miles Mongta who dislocated his ankle early in the second half.

"I couldn't have been prouder of the boys," he said.

"We definitely fixed up our discipline in the second half, and if it wasn't for our discipline in that second half, we probably wouldn't have gotten the result."

Cowan said it was a big blow to lose Mongta in the game as they work towards replacing him this week.

"He was absolutely having a blinder in the game, and he's going to be a massive loss for us," he said. "These things come with footy and we just need to make sure we have the right person in that position to do the job."

Cowan said the gallant win has sent out a "warning shot" to other teams as the finals battle heats up.

"These boys are tough as nails and this game sent a warning shot out to all the teams, that's for sure - we're coming for the big prize." he said. "We're not mucking around this year and we're not going to be walked over in any game."

The Mustangs will have a tough battle this Sunday, July 30, as they face sixth placed Wingham Tigers who are looking to force themselves back into the top five.

Cowan said the team will be treating every game like it's the grand final.

"Every game is crucial for a lot of teams, we can't afford to lose even one game," he said.

Cowan said he looks forward to playing in Wingham again as he calls the clash "the match of the round".

"Wingham is a very tough place to play footy at, they turn up with big crowds who gets right behind them," he said.

"It's one place that I love playing footy at because they love their footy as much as anybody else.

"They're going to be so hungry to knock us off the ladder, but we're going to be hungrier to keep winning and finish in the top three."

"I think it's going to be the match of the round."

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