SB Teams Demolish Visitors

 

June 17, 2014

If the four Central Burnett A Grade rugby league teams who came south on Saturday expected a warm welcome, they were sadly mistaken.

The matches were played on a cold, wet day at Wondai and Cherbourg … and the local teams showed no mercy, sending the visitors home without any competition points.

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The Murgon Mustangs were ruthless in their attack against the Mundubbera Tigers in their match played in the rain at Cherbourg.

At half-time, Murgon led 34-0 after methodically scoring six tries, including three in a row to Jameel Sullivan.

The other Mustang try scorers in the first half were Mitchell McDonald, Lewis Hopkins and Daniel Georgetown. Hopkins kicked five from six conversions.

The Mustangs started the second half in similar form, with Mitchell McDonald scoring his second, and Hopkins’ boot taking it to 40-nil.

But Murgon then let down their guard and with 26 minutes left in the match, the Tigers put their first points on the board, with a try to Kennay Filiai.

Tyrone Murray replied six minutes later with a try under the post for Murgon, but Hopkins’ kick – taken from right in front – hit the post and bounced away.

Mundubbera must have taken this as an omen, because they lifted their game holding out the Mustangs and scoring two quick tries of their own – to Filiai and Josh Kimber. Neither were converted.

But with Murgon leading 44-12, there was never any hope of the Tigers coming back into the game.

And to put the final nail into their coffin, Jameel Sullivan scored his fourth try for the night with five minutes to go.  Hopkins’ kick was on target and the final score was 50-12.

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The second match on the card at Cherbourg was between the home team, the Hornets, and the Gayndah Gladiators, played under lights.

After Wondai’s 84-0 thumping of Gayndah in the last round, the match was expected to be a cakewalk for Cherbourg in front of their home fans.

But Gayndah had come to play football and looked back to full-strength.

Cherbourg, in comparison, were without their captain/coach Bernard Hopkins and it showed at times, with the team failing to press home their advantage.

The match began with a minute’s silence in memory of a footballer with Cherbourg connections who died after being injured in a recent match in Cairns.

Cherbourg was first to score, after four minutes, via Daniel Cobbo with Fred Aubrey converting.

Gayndah’s Michael Medew replied a few minutes later, but the conversion missed, leaving Cherbourg with a two point margin.

At the midway point of the first half, the Hornets still only led 6-4 before Arthur Saltner breathed new life into the Hornets’ attack, sparking a cascade of Cherbourg tries before the break – to Fred Aubrey, Nathan Gadd, Carl Aubrey and Lyndon Hopkins.

At half-time, Cherbourg had a comfortable lead, 32-4.

Neither side made any headway for the first 15 minutes of the second half until Gayndah won the armwrestle with Ben Kenny converting his own try to take the score to 32-10.

This sparked an almost immediate response from the Hornets with Bowdean Leedie crossing.

Both sides then went back to sleep for the next 10 minutes until Fred Aubrey gave the crowd something to cheer about again, sprinting almost the length of the field to score under the posts. Lyndon Hopkins converted, taking the score to 44-10.

In the last five minutes, Carl Aubrey and Alex Speedy added to the points for Cherbourg.

Gayndah’s final points came almost on the full-time siren when the Hornets gave away a penalty in their own quarter in front of the posts.

The Gladiators’ Ben Kenny kicked the (rarely seen in the South Burnett) penalty goal to take the final score to 54-12.

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Kingaroy, who have recorded just three wins so far this season, took on the top-of-the table Theodore Roosters at Wondai Sportsground.

The Red Ants delighted their local fans with a return to form, recording a strong win over the central Queensland visitors.

At half-time, Kingaroy led 16-4 but by full-time, the scoreline had blown out to 38-16.

Unfortunately, the match was marred by an injury to a Roosters’ player early in the second half .

Play was delayed for about 20 minutes as ambulance personnel treated the player and took him to hospital.

In the other A Grade match, also played at Wondai, the Wolves recorded their fifth win in a row, downing Monto 36-12.  At half-time, Wondai led 6-0.

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Results

A Grade

• Kingaroy 38, Theodore 16
• Wondai 36, Monto 12
• Cherbourg 54, Gayndah 12
• Murgon 50, Munduberra 12
• Nanango had the bye

  Rugby League