NORTH Tamworth Bears fumbled their way to a 44-16 win over an improving Oxley Diggers in their Group 4 clash at Jack Woolaston Oval on Saturday.
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The reigning premiers are struggling to find their best form amidst plenty of mistakes in what was a low-key game that failed to reach any great heights as both sides turned over plenty of ball.
For Oxley Diggers it was another step up the performance ladder.
“They beat us 64-4 last time we played,” club president Mick Schmiedel said.
“We picked up 12 more and knocked 20 off off them.
“It’s an improvement but could have been a lot better too.
“The first half we couldn’t get out of our own half.
“We made a lot of errors.”
He said the Bears are a “good defensive side”.
“But we made their attack look good because of all the defence we had to do after making all those mistakes.”
Even still, Oxley Diggers were down just 14-nil when Leroy Livermore finished off a good Diggers attack to score wide out and make it 14-4.
However, that only sparked the Bears to score two more tries before halftime by captain-coach Zac Russ and hooker Scott Blanch and give the home side a 26-4 halftime lead.
Brad Marshall scored another try, his third, straight after halftime and the Bears led 32-4 before Callum Hayne dazzled the Diggers and spectators with his electrifying dummy half run to score untouched.
That took the Bears to a 38-4 lead after just five minutes of the second half and they coasted from there.
The Diggers showed they have fight if not ability when they crossed for two late tries to Robbie Bergan and Richard Kennedy.
It was an ordinary effort from the Bears although captain-coach Zac Russ was quick to point out his side had three tries disallowed late in the game as it pounded the Diggers’ line.
He thought the decisions were a little harsh and thought his side deserved to score one if not all three.
“We’ve still got three or four players out,” he said.
“We’ve certainly got a good nucleus after losing a few from last year.
“Jake (Cocking) has just come back and Brock (Wadwell) too.
“The good thing is our second grade is going well and some of them are also pushing for spots in first grade.”
While Jamie Trindall, Dustin Munn, Iowane Divavesi, Chris Hunt and Will Saunders excelled for Diggers, the Bears’ best were Russ, Blanch, Shane-Leigh Wadwell and Luke Byrnes, who played strongly despite being crook.
The Bears also lost centre Marshall in the second half to calf and achilles heel strains but he has three weeks now to recover.
