MACLEAY Valley Mustangs moved into the second week of the Group Three Rugby League semi-final series with a solid 32-22 win over Wingham in the elimination semi-final played at Kempsey.
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The Mustangs will now meet the loser of Sunday's Port City/Port Macquarie preliminary semi next Saturday in Port Macquarie.
It was a game the Mustangs appeared to have wrapped up midway through the second half when they raced away to a 26-6 lead. Macleay did all the attacking in the opening 20 minutes of the second stanza holding a 10-6 advantage of the break.
However, defensive lapses and errors crept into their game and the Tigers narrowed the gap to 26-22 with 10 minutes remaining. With three on the clock hard working lock Ethan Thompson managed a one-on-one steal from Wingham centre Tim Bridge and crashed over under the posts for winger Dean Jones to add the extras. However, that wasn't the end of the drama. With time just about up there was a minor altercation and referee Landon Blissett dismissed Macleay interchange forward Villanelle Tobesewa, charged with a cannonball tackle.
"It got a bit tight towards the end of the game,'' Macleay coach Adam McMurray agreed.
We don't want to be switching off like that and that's something we'll address at training
- Macleay coach Adam McMurray
McMurray said errors proved costly for his side and allowed the Tigers back into the contest.
"We turned over too much ball,'' he said.
"That was out biggest problem. But really I'm pretty satisfied with the performance.
"We don't want to be switching off like that and that's something we'll address at training.''
Murray said that busy five-eighth Jack Walsh-McKiernan was strong for the Mustangs.
"He's a good ball player and runner. He's stood up since Ant (Anthony Cowan) was suspended.''
Walsh-McKiernan opened the scoring early in the first half after Wingham fullback JJ Gibson fumbled a kick. From the ensuing set the five-eighth planted the ball over to give the Mustangs a 4-0 advantage after the conversion went astray.
The home side was applying pressure and from a drop out impressive winger Dean Jones got outside the defence and positioned centre Chris Bull to score. Jones added the conversion from the sideline and the Mustangs looked in control at 10-0.
However, Wingham had the better of the rest of the first half and opened the scoring when centre Matt Bridge ran on to a pass close to the line to cross. Fletcher Lewis landed an angled goal and 10-6 was the score at oranges.
Walsh-McKiernan was involved in the first try of the second half when he split the line and sent a pass to Tobesewa, who crashed over.
Further tries to centre Tirrel Dungay and centre Jason Russell and a goal to Jones blew the score to 26-6.
However, Shannon Martin, Matt Bridge and Jake Mullen added tries in quick succession for the Tigers and suddenly it was game on.
Martin was again Wingham's best, while back rower Nathan Campbell, who had only played five minutes football this year due to an Achilles injury, made a difference when he was introduced into the play. He ran and tackled hard and the Tigers will be hoping he's available next year.
It's hard enough to win up here, let alone giving them a massive start. When didn't show up for 80 like we had to and when you only play good football for 20 minutes you're not going to win
- Wingham captain-coach Mitch Collins
Wingham captain-coach Mitch Collins said his side didn't produce an 80 minute effort.
"For 40 minutes of the first 60 we just didn't show up, we dropped the ball and missed tackles,'' he said.
"It's hard enough to win up here, let alone giving them a massive start. When didn't show up for 80 like we had to and when you only play good football for 20 minutes you're not going to win.''
Collins agreed that Campbell provided his side with some impetus.
"We missed that through the year,'' he said.
Collins doesn't think the Mustangs will advance too much further in the season.
"Port City and Old Bar are the two top sides and I think they'll be the two there at the end of the year,'' he said.
Macleay Valley 32 (J Walsh-McKiernan, C Bull, V Tobesewa, J Russell, T Dungay, E Thompson tries D Jones 4 goals) defeated Wingham 22 (T Bridge, S Martin, M Bridge J Mullen tries F Lewis 3 goals)
Minor grades
OLD Bar Pirates accounted for Taree City 22-16 in an at times heated reserve grade match. Taree City produced a solid effort to down Wauchope 10-2 in the under 18 match while Port Sharks ended Wingham's season in league tag with a 20-8 result.
