July 16, 2014
Red Ants fans would have gone home happy on Saturday if the A Grade league match between Kingaroy and Murgon had ended at half-time.
After the first 40 minutes, the sides were level at 16-all after some hard and fast football (and a very long injury break).
But sadly for Kingaroy supporters, the Mustangs came out with all guns blazing in the second half to gallop away to a 70-26 victory.
Murgon put the first points on the board in the game after an impressive length-of-the-field run by Jameel Sullivan after a Kingaroy handover on the Murgon line.
Kingaroy quickly replied after a strong run by Toby Broomhall where he wrong-footed the defenders and planted the ball over the line. Matt Allen converted, and the Red Ants were ahead 6-4.
But just minutes after the re-start, Broomhall suffered a painful elbow injury in a tackle. The game was stopped while paramedics treated him before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
When play restarted, Barwoo Fisher – fresh from a try in U18s – put the Mustangs back in the lead and Lewis Hopkins successfully kicked the first of his 10 conversions for the day.
But the Red Ants weren’t fazed. Three minutes later, Luke Evans brought the score back to 10-all.
Both sides scored again before the break: Mick Smallwood (Kingaroy) and Mitchell McDonald (Murgon).
Kingaroy was first to score in the second half (Joshua Flood) which put the Red Ants back in the lead with 37 minutes left… but that’s when Murgon turned up the flame.
Jameel Sullivan, Peter Bligh, Tyrone Murray and Brendon Saltner scored four tries in seven minutes. All were converted. If that wasn’t enough to test Kingaroy, they then lost a player to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
While he was off, Murgon scored twice more (Jameel Sullivan and Tyrone Murray), although Mick Smallwood also managed to add some points for Kingaroy against the run of play.
In the last eight minutes, the Mustangs blasted three more tries, two to Keith Walsh while Tyrone Murray picked up his third for the day.
Walsh’s first try was particularly spectacular, a classic chip-and-chase which ended up under the posts.
* * *
The match of the day at Nanango was the clash under lights between the home team and the unbeaten Cherbourg Hornets, but any thoughts the Stags were going to be easy pickings were quickly dispelled.
The game opened with a minute’s silence in memory of Julie Smallwood who died recently. Six of Julie’s children have played football for the Stags.
When the whistle blew, Nanango began on the attack, almost scoring from a kick put into the in-goal area.
Sadly for Stags’ fans the ball was long and the chasing player ended up crashing into the fence, emerging unscathed.
The Hornets’ Nigel Williams made no mistake a minute later.
The teams then set about taking turns at scoring, with tries to Keiran Douglas (Nanango), Kenny Gyemore (Cherbourg), Ashley Smallwood (Nanango) and Gordon Fisher (Cherbourg). At half-time, Cherbourg led 18-12.
The arm-wrestle resumed in the second half.
Drew Jackson went within inches of scoring for Nanango in the first minute but was held up over the line.
Four minutes Alex Speedy put Cherbourg further ahead, followed by another Hornets’ try via Cecil Sullivan.
But the Stags weren’t about to give up and mounted pressure on the Cherbourg line. Smallwood almost scored for Nanango before Clinton Harvey finally went over in the corner. Cherbourg was now ahead 28-16.
Gordon Fisher increased the gap before the Stags’ Gary Bailey clawed it back again.
With seven minutes left in the game, Smallwood scored again for Nanango and with Andrew Hewitt’s kick on target, Cherbourg’s lead had been cut to 34-28.
For the last seven minutes Nanango pressured the Hornets but couldn’t close the gap, finally giving away a penalty in the dying minutes.
Fred Aubrey successfully took the shot after the full-time siren to take the final score to Cherbourg 36, Nanango 28 after an exciting game of football on a very cold night.
Aubrey finished with five conversions plus the penalty kick; while Andrew Hewitt kicked four goals for Nanango.
* * *
Junior Results:
- U12 – Kingaroy 12, Wondai 22 (Best & Fairest Michael Evans – Wondai)
- U12 – Nanango 56, Murgon 0
- U14 – Nanango 4, Murgon 68
- U16 – Nanango 20, Murgon 34
- U18 – Nanango 4, Murgon 26
Murgon put on a strong show against the home team Nanango in their U18s match at Fred Kassulke Oval.
At half-time, the Mustangs led 16-0 after tries by Austin Mason (2) and Jordan Lynas, and conversions by Stuart Robinson and Anthony Grey.
The Stags put their first points on the board after the break with a try to Sam Lewis.
But Murgon quickly replied with tries to Aaron Graham and Barwoo Fisher.
Fisher also scored a try in A Grade (and a goal in the senior Aussie Rules match played in Kingaroy on Sunday!)
