MACLEAY Valley coach Beau Champion described his side's 26-16 win over Wingham in the Group Three Rugby League game at Wingham as the best of the season.
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The Mustangs are now on track for a top three finish, leaving the Tigers to concentrate on fourth or fifth.
"We had a lot of adversity coming into this game,'' Champion said.
"We had blokes who were sick so we had to call players up from reserve grade and I know it's always tough coming here. Honestly, that was our best win of the year, considering the amount of personnel we were down.''
The Mustangs are enjoying a good run of form at the moment, a fact the coach acknowledged.
"I'm really happy with the way we're playing,'' Champion said.
"I told the players that no matter what happens on the field, we have to keep fighting through it and they were able to do just that.''
Champion agreed that halfback Shane Davis-Caldwell is playing great football. He was the best on field against at Wingham.
"He sure is, he's had a big month compared to the start of the year. But I'm really proud of everyone - they're all playing out of their skin,'' he said.
Macleay turned on the razzle-dazzle the previous week against Forster-Tuncurry. But against the Tigers Macleay showed they could get into the grind when needed to secure a win.
Wingham had their chances and drew level at 16-16 with 20 minutes remaining in the contest. The Tigers scored four tries, but neither Ethan Ferguson (three attempts) or Fletcher Lewis (one attempt) could land a goal, although all were from wide out.
Wingham captain-coach Mitch Collins watched from the sideline, his broken thumb in a cast.
Atrocious defence
"Our defence was absolutely atrocious,'' a downcast Collins said.
"I say the same thing every week, our one-on-one tackles were horrendous and we're not going to win games if we don't tackle.''
Collins admits the Tigers will struggle to gain a top three berth.
"Macleay's a side that we needed to beat along with Wauchope (to finish third). We shouldn't have dropped the game today,'' he said.
Collins confirmed that backrower Nathan Campbell is finished for the season after tearing a bicep.
"That doesn't help, but it's no excuse, we should have won with the side we had today,'' he said.
Referee Landon Blissett had a busy day, sending Wingham fullback Matt Bridge to the sin bin for a professional foul in the first half while Macleay centre Allen Lockwood had two stays in the confessional, one in each half. He was placed on report after the second.
Blissett also called group official, Michael Clarke onto the field in the second half to report an eye gouging allegation by Wingham against a Macleay player.
The Mustangs led 10-8 at halftime after jumping to an early 10-0 via tries to Viliame Tobeswa and Chris Bull and a conversion to Davis-Caldwell. The Tigers responded with two touchdowns to winger Ron Uhilia.
Pounced
Bridge was safe in defence for the Tigers and he returned the ball enthusiastically, however, he allowed a towering kick from Davis-Caldwell to bounce early in the second half. Davis-Caldwell pounced on the ball and sent an unmarked Tirell Dungay on a sprint to the line. The half kicked the goal and the Mustangs led 16-8.
But the Tigers again fought back, with winger Lewis twice scoring unconverted tries in the corner to lock it up at 16-16. A Wingham error early in the tackle count eventually saw prop Dre Barker crash over for the Mustangs then winger Bull latched onto yet another pinpoint kick from Davis-Caldwell to clinch the win.
Davis-Caldwell produced a master class for the Mustangs, either through his kicking in general play or his game management. Indefatigable prop Shannon Martin was the pick for the Tigers.
At least there's some good news for Mitch Collins. He's going to Brisbane on Wednesday to see his brother-in-law, Mitch Barnett, make his debut for NSW against Queensland in the State of Origin game three.