July 26, 2013
Nanango confirmed their form reversal in the South Burnett A Grade rugby league competition with a courageous 36-34 victory over Wondai at Cherbourg last Saturday.
For almost the first 10 minutes of the match, both sides tested each other out, making alternate attacks on each other’s lines which were rebuffed.
Nanango was first to break the deadlock with Rob Ryan scoring in the corner.
Wondai then put on three back-to-back tries (by Luke Hedges, Shane Borninkhof and Brad Perese) but instead of demoralising Nanango it spurred the Stags – and especially Pat McCallum – into action.
With 14 minutes left in the half, McCallum scored and then, a few minutes later as the rain started to fall, he scored again, taking Nanango to within two points.
With two minutes left, Jameel Sullivan crossed for Wondai which Hedges converted.
It looked like Wondai would be leading 22-14 at half-time, but the Wolves hadn’t counted on McCallum.
Right on half-time, the Stags mounted an attack up the centre of the field from a scrum win; McCallum broke through an easy tackle to score under the posts.
At half-time, Wondai was ahead 22-18.
The second half was a mirror of the first half arm-wrestle but this time Nanango won the contest, three tries (Brad Staples, Dion Williams and Ben Brown) to two (Shane Borninkhof and Jarrod Greaves).
At full-time, Nanango was ahead by two points in a well-deserved win.
BJ Simpson kicked four conversions for the Stags, while Luke Hedges slotted home five goals for the Wolves.
Hornets fans had been deprived of seeing their heroes in action for some time as Cherbourg’s last two A Grade games at home were forfeited by their opponents.
So there were a lot of people eager to see them perform against Blackbutt on Saturday, and they were not disappointed.
At half-time, Cherbourg led 48-6 and by full-time this had blown out to 84-19.
A highlight of the match was the goal kicking by the Hornets’ golden boot, Fred Aubrey, who kicked 14 from 14.
For much of the second half, Blackbutt looked exhausted and there were a lot of players obviously nursing injuries.
But it was a brave performance in the face of overwhelming opposition. Despite their problems the Timbertowners managed to score twice in the second half (Adam Kane and Keiran Harvey).
This second try, three minutes from full-time, came from a clever re-start which caught the Hornets napping, and then back-to-back scrum wins.
And then right on the full-time hooter, the Timbertowners underlined their defiance when Blake Harvey kicked a cheeky field goal which went through so quickly that many observers missed it.
Blackbutt’s other points came from a try by John Morris in the first half and three conversions.
Cherbourg’s 14 tries were scored by Alex Speedy (3), Nigel Williams (3), Daniel Cobbo (2), Thomas Simpson, Marcus Dynevor, Patrick Alberts, Cyril Georgetown, Gordon Davison and Carl Aubrey.
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Other Results
- U14s Cherbourg 26 Kingaroy 18
- U16s Central Burnett 54 Murgon 10
- U18s Murgon 46 Wallaroos 6
