Tigers down previously undefeated Warriors in Woodbridge Cup boilover

John Fitzgerald

The Oberon Tigers caused the upset of the round beating previously undefeated Orange United Warriors 36-22 at Oberon in round 4 of the Woodbridge Cup.

With belief in their own abilities however, the Tigers disputed the ‘upset’ component of their win, taking the field knowing they had the game plan and players to win the contest.

Forceful in the opening stages against the vaunted Orange side, Oberon scored two converted tries in the first six minutes to lead 12-0, then another try 20 minutes later while keeping their opponents scoreless, to go to the halftime break leading 18-0.

There was a lot of spite in the game with two Orange players and one from Oberon sent off, and when the Warriors regrouped in the second half they would sorely miss their dismissed teammates.

Desperate for early second-half points, it took Orange just three minutes to get a score on to the board, but Oberon stifled the comeback with another try, again converted, to take the scoreline to 24-4.

Five minutes later the Warriors reduced the leeway to 24-10 with their first try/conversion.

In the 55th minute the home side scored again with another six points for 30-10, then another 12 minutes later and, at 36-10 as the shadows lengthened, the 27 points needed for a win made it just that little more difficult, if not nearly impossible, for an 11-man Orange comeback.

The visitors scored the final two tries, too little too late, and Oberon became the first side in this year’s Woodbridge premiership, in a convincing display, to take down the Warriors.

The referee was called on many times to quell rising tensions in a very stop-start event, but when the players allowed play to flow the game was a high-quality display of attack and defence by two of the top Woodbridge Cup teams.

Among many good players, Ryan Jervis, Nick Barlow and Blake Fitzpatrick did a lot of good work for the winners, and Lleyton Lothian kicked every conversion, adding 12 points through his accurate boot to the winning 36-22 scoreline.

On a congested first grade ladder after Manildra’s 10-point win over Peak Hill, Oberon, along with three other clubs, sits two points behind leaders Cowra and Manildra.

The top match-up in round 5 next week will see Canowindra host Oberon on Sunday at Tom Clyburn Oval, while the Trundle versus Peak Hill game shows interest too.