DEBUTANT winger Jayden Ehsman will remember his first game for the Glen Innes Magpies senior team at Woodville Oval, Uralla, last Saturday with fondness.
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The representative Under 18 five eighth earned his first A grade jersey in Glen’s 40-6 victory over Uralla and didn’t disappoint, scoring three times in the first 50 minutes.
The game was only minutes old when Jayden’s older brother, second -rower Nick Ehsman, stormed across the line.
On the quarter hour, Glen won a scrum 20m out and spun the ball wide to the younger Ehsman’s left wing where he finished the move untouched.
Glen went to the break ahead just 14-6 after a determined Uralla defensive effort but Uralla was soon on the back foot when fullback Alistair Faulkner was sinbinned.
Ehsman was back in the game immediately when he fielded a Lewis Ahoy chip kick in midfield on the Glen try line.
He stepped right, then left to beat two tacklers, then raced the length of the field to score under the posts.
Two minutes later, Ehsman was on the end of a Craig Browne pass, and stepped back inside the cover defence to rack up his hat-trick and Glen took a 24-6 lead.
They ran in further tries through a ninety-metre effort from Browne, his second, coach Sam Key and Jock Waters.
“On the scoreboard it looks easy, but it wasn’t,” Key said.
“Uralla ran hard at us all day and didn’t stop.
“Our handling was poor and, if we want to be competitive against the top sides, we’re going to have to improve that area.
“But I was pleased with the effort and our defence.
“I’d like to give young ‘Esh’ a big rap and ‘Rolffy’ (former Guyra stalwart Jason Rolff) who both went well in their first games for us.
“Mone (Loketi), ‘Sayo’ (half Nick Say) and Jock (second-rower Waters) all had excellent games.
“ I wouldn’t trade Jock for anyone else in the Group.”
It’s another big weekend in Group 19, with the Magpies at home to Goondiwindi Boars, Inverell Hawks and Moree Boars matching up at Varley Oval, Moree Boomerangs hosting Tingha Tigers and Ashford tackling Uralla in a wooden spoon battle at Ashford Sportsground.