John Fitzgerald

Most interest in the weekend’s Woodbridge Cup round 11 was going to be on Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash between Oberon and Cowra, but in an upset that no one saw coming Manildra were defeated by Trundle Boomers in their Saturday match.

The Rhinos had to travel to Trundle for their game but the hour-long journey could not be blamed for the 38-20 loss by the previous front runners.

Equal first on the ladder with Oberon and Cowra for many weeks before the weekend’s games, Manildra’s loss on the Saturday then left the top spot wide open for the winner of Sunday’s match-up and concentrated all interest on the game at Oberon.

Other than the game ending in a draw just one of these two sides was going to survive and stand alone at the top of the table after their 80-minute clash on Sunday afternoon.

Blowing open the three-club domination at the top of the Woodbridge Cup premiership, the match of the round resulted in Oberon overcoming a Cowra lead to come back at the death to win 32-30.

Anticipating a highly competitive game between the only sides left vying for stand-alone status the match attracted a big crowd who were entertained by two clubs fully aware what victory would deliver and who would play accordingly.

The game was only two minutes old when Cowra‘s Ricky Whitton pounced for his try and first points, duly converted by himself.

Cowra were dominating early in the game but the Oberon defence stood firm before Mat Ranse turned defence into attack and went across for an unconverted try six minutes later.

Another six minutes and teammate Ryan Jervis scored near the posts to add another six points to the Oberon score.

Although 10-6 in front, the Tigers lead was tentative, with their tries against the run of play, and devastatingly for the home side at that point, Cowra’s Sam Ingham took an intercept and ran 70 metres to score wide out, the try converted for 12-10 to Cowra.

Ingham was over again two minutes later and the conversion pushed the score out to 18-10.

Cracks were appearing in a fragmented Oberon defence, Cowra were dictating play, and another converted try by Josh Weston gave the visitors a 14-point lead which at that point never looked like being challenged.

Relief from the pressure Cowra were exerting came with Oberon’s Tyler Young’s converted try to reduce the leeway to 24-16.

Jervis went over for his second try five minutes before halftime, converted by Blake Fitzpatrick, and the sides went to the break with a 24-22 scoreline in favour of the Cowra side.

One minute after the resumption Oberon’s Robby Walsh scored his side’s third try in a period of 12 playing minutes, and unconverted by Fitzpatrick, the Tigers took the lead 26-24, but there were still 39 minutes of play remaining.

A strong attack by the Cowra side resulted in another Ricky Whitton try, giving the Magpies the lead again 30-26 at the 60-minute mark.

The game see-sawed from one end of the field to the other for 10 minutes before a determined attacking phase by the Tigers and a fierce charge at the line by Jervis saw him power across for his third try again close to the posts allowing Fitzpatrick to ultimately add the winning points with his conversion.

Tantalising attack and defence by both sides closed the game’s final 10 minutes with no further score which kept the big crowd in their seats till the final whistle.

Played with a ferocity deserving of the high stakes that the winner would take all, the match was still played in the best spirits of the game.