One win away - CYMS on brink of first minor title in over two decades

That’s all that stands between Orange CYMS and the club’s first Group 10 minor premiership in 22 years.

The green and golds defied the muddy conditions at Wade Park on Saturday to run in eight tries as they demolished last year’s runners-up Lithgow Workies 42-14.

And it could easily have been more.

Time and time again CYMS cut Workies apart in the centre of the ruck only for the last pass to go forward or to ground.

CYMS centre Ben McAlpine proved untouchable at times as he scored twice and had a hand in three other tries.

The green and golds can wrap up the minor premiership with a win over a faltering St Pat’s in Bathurst in this Sunday’s final regular-season game.

Despite admitting his troops are full of confidence, CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan was trying not to get too carried away after Saturday’s win.

“We’re trying not to put too much pressure on ourselves like that. It’s good to be up the top and in the mix and if that comes along (winning the minor premiership) will definitely be a good achievement for this group,” he said.

“It’s definitely the plan. We’re at full-strength at the moment and we do have a bit of confidence. Pat’s will have to be on their game to knock us off.”

CYMS took some time to get going on Saturday, with McAlpine’s fifth-minute try off a lovely Sullivan grubber

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behind the line the only time the scoreboard attendant was troubled in a mistake-riddled first half-hour.

But the hosts blew the match wide open with two tries in the 10 minutes before the break when McAlpine grubbered through twice in the one play for winger Tim Bassmann to cross and five-eighth Matt Williamson burrowed over just before the break.

A 6-0 lead quickly blew out to 18-0 at half-time, all but ending Workies’ hopes.

“At 6-0 we were still in the game. I thought if we’d gone into half-time still down 6-0 we were in with a chance. But they scored a couple of late ones in the first half and that put us behind the eight-ball,” Lithgow skipper Mick Doggett said.

“We just gave them too much head start. They’ve got an awesome backline, mate. We had trouble trying to control their backline today.”

Workies looked more cohesive in attack in the second half and were rewarded with tries to Doggett, Corey Wilmott and big man Chris Rhodes.

But they never seriously threatened to get back into the contest despite a favourable 9-5 penalty count.

At times CYMS toyed with Workies in the second stanza as Sullivan, Williamson and McAlpine set up line breaks seemingly at will.

The green and golds piled on five more tries in the final 40 minutes - including two contenders for try of the year.

In the 63rd minute Sullivan put Kurt Beahan into a gap before the fullback put in a chip over the top.

When the bounce of the ball didn’t go his way a trailing McAlpine put a hopeful boot onto the ball, which spiralled out towards the left corner post.

Second-rower Semisi Tora picked the ball up and dived over for an incredible four-pointer.

The hosts scored an even better four-pointer following a kick-off after Scott Sullivan’s 74th-minute try.

Bryce Jones caught the kick-off before finding Mick Sullivan, who fired a long cut-out ball to Bassmann.

Bassmann then put Chris Jones into space on the left edge before the big winger sent McAlpine on a 50-metre sprint to the line.

After a scrappy opening to the match Mick Sullivan was rapt with his side’s composure, which was eventually rewarded with points.

“It was a bit scrappy early,” he said.

“Obviously in wet weather football that can happen.

“But I think we’re showing a bit of maturity as a side. We don’t drop our heads. We know we can come home with wins if we drain them a bit,” he said.

“Obviously we had to get the win first and we had a plan to get points at the back end of the half which I thought we executed well.”

CYMS didn’t have a bad player but were best-served by lock Ben Gosper, prop Ben McKenna, hooker Scott Sullivan and Garrett Field off the bench up front, while Mick Sullivan, Williamson, McAlpine and centre Scott Piper were outstanding in the backline.

n ORANGE CYMS 42 (Scott Piper 2, Ben McAlpine 2, Tim Bassmann, Matt Williamson, Semisi Tora, Scott Sullivan tries; McAlpine 5 goals) def LITHGOW WORKIES 14 (Corey Wilmott, Chris Rhodes, Mick Doggett tries; Sam Refaai goal).