NORTH Tamworth, West Lions and Scone Thoroughbreds went into yesterday’s Group 4 and Group 21 matches unbeaten, but only the North Tamworth Bears retained their unbeaten tag when 46-4 winners over Oxley Diggers on Jack Woolaston Oval.
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Coincidentally, West Lions and Scone Thoroughbreds were both beaten 32-30, Wests by a last minute long-range penalty goal from Narrabri captain-coach Lachlan Cameron, and Scone by a last second try to halfback Jake Smith and then a sideline conversion by five-eighth Chad Solman.
“It wasn’t a surprise,” said Singleton coach Josh Desmond.
“You always give yourself a chance.”
Scone remain competition leaders with Singleton in third and preparing for a big game against Greta Branxton at Greta Oval this Sunday.
North Tamworth remain unbeaten and outright Group 4 Cup competition leaders after Narrabri’s upset of Wests at Scully Park.
Bears coach Brad McManus believes the Blues could be his side’s biggest danger to another premiership.
“They are improving and getting some good players back,” he said.
“Last week was a tough game out there – they really stuck it to us.”
Oxley Diggers captain-coach Tim Coombes was disappointed for his young side.
He thought they might provide a tougher hurdle.
“They (North) got on a roll and scored a couple of early tries,” he said.
“We just weren’t good enough.”
A string or penalties didn’t help their cause with Coombes also spending a stint in the sin bin as well.
The penalty tide turned in the second half. Diggers enjoying some favourable decisions with Bears five-eighth Abel Carney sin-binned for five minutes and then the Wadwell brothers, Brock and Shane, finishing the game on the sideline after 10 minute binnings for repeated offences.
The discipline area is one place McManus will be attending to in the next few weeks while work on his side’s defence has paid dividends.
“I thought we played pretty well,” McManus told The Leader.
“Our defence was pretty good. We’ve been working on it the last few weeks because I know we have points in us. We’ve still got some things to work on, but I’m pretty happy with the team.”
Nic Dobson, prop Bill Jeffery, and versatile Scott Blanch, playing at half for suspended Kieran Fisher, steered the side around yesterday.
Blanch scored three tries while centre s Jake McManus and Richard Clegg were lively and fullback James Duchatel glided across for two piercing tries.
Oxley Diggers’ young brigade, halfback Scott Berry, fullback Kieran Williams, lock Zac Hatch and hooker Micah Scarth were impressive along with backrower Jarrod Denman.
