A FIRST-HALF masterclass from Orange CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan and fullback Ben McAlpine inspired their side to a 40-0 demolition of Group 10 premier league competition leaders Oberon on Sunday.
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Played in abhorrent conditions at Wade Park, Sullivan set up four of his side’s five tries in the opening period while McAlpine nailed two 40-20s which led to four pointers and scored one himself to see CYMS lead 30-0 at half-time.
CYMS ran in two more tries in the second stanza after the duo had come off for a well-deserved break, handing the Tigers their second defeat of the season.
Today was a great chance for us and we took it.
- CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan
“Really happy with it,” Sullivan said.
“To put 40 on in those conditions, especially after our performance against (Bathurst) St Pat’s, was really pleasing.
“We made an effort to say before the game we wouldn’t be as bad as we were against St Pat’s, I don’t think we could be, and every point today was two-to-one on the [points difference].
“You need to take your chances when you can, today was a great chance for us and we took it.”
Prop Simon Osborne was exceptional for CYMS as well, producing a massive 80-minute effort in the front row.
CYMS took full advantage of the Tigers being severely understrength, they were missing two of the Rose brothers – Trent and former NRL star George – along with a host of others.
Ryan Griffin opened the scoring for CYMS in the fourth minute, diving over from dummy-half on the back of McAlpine’s first 40-20 before Earsman dived on a Sullivan grubber seven minutes later to extend the lead to 12.
McAlpine scored next, in somewhat contentious circumstances.
Sullivan grubbered through from halfway and after winning the race to the ball McAlpine soccered it through from the 30 metre line before sliding to score.
He was confident but the Oberon crowd – and players – were certain he’d missed in his attempt to ground it and deflected it over the dead ball line.
It was awarded though and Sullivan put Osborne and Jones over before the break as well.
Sullivan and McAlpine’s absence in the second half – which was only precautionary – was noticeable, but the green and golds’ defence was still good enough to hold the Tigers out while Dom Maley and Jerome Harrison picked up tries too.
Not wanting to make excuses for the error-ridden performance, Oberon captain-coach Zac Rowlandson said it was just one of those days for his side – which was best served by centres Jackson Brien and Abel Lefaoseu.
“We’re missing six or seven of our regulars so we knew it would be tough, we’re still reasonably positive though,” Rowlandson said.
“Most of their tries came from kicks or our own errors, silly dropped balls and things like that.
“That for and against is going to hurt us, but we’ll get all our troops back for the right end of the season. We’ll be fine.”
Despite the loss Oberon maintain the competition lead on points difference while CYMS are in fourth, but there is now just one point separating first and fourth.
The Tigers and St Pat's are on 16 points while Bathurst Panthers and CYMS are on 15.
ORANGE CYMS 40 (Ryan Griffin, Kain Earsman, Ben McAlpine, Simon Osborne, Cam Jones, Dom Maley, Jerome Harrison tries; McAlpine 5, Brock McGarity goals) def OBERON TIGERS 0