CYMS defy red-hot Heta’s gallant Hawkies in derby thriller | Photos, videos

After CYMS shot to a 16-0 lead after as many minutes, Hawks’ mercurial mentor Willie Heta stunned the green and golds – and their fans – by not only bringing the two blues back into the game, but inspiring them to a half-time lead and then within inches of a miraculous upset victory.

Ultimately, Heta’s masterclass didn’t net Hawks two competition points as CYMS pulled out all stops, fighting tooth and nail to secure a 40-30 win, but it went mighty close.

In the process, it also reignited the rivalry between the two clubs, bringing competitiveness back to a fixture which had for years had a forgone conclusion.

Heta laid on all five of the two blues’ tries and assisted half a dozen line breaks too, nailing every single conversion attempt he had as well, including two from the sideline under all sorts of pressure.

Heta’s performance was so good, it was even the first thing CYMS captain-coach Mick Sullivan mentioned post-game.

“Hawks are team that enjoy the free ball and off the back of that, Willie was outstanding,” Sullivan said.

“Off that second phase they were quite dangerous, they got their backs up and scored plenty of points in that middle period.

“They were a quality side [on Sunday] … they turned the momentum, hung in there and credit to them.”

But, as good as Heta was, he couldn’t inspire Hawks to a win.

CYMS held on and with the score at 30-30 with 10 minutes to go lifted, scoring two more tries to win by 10 points and remain undefeated on top of the table.

“It was scrappy, but any derby win we’ll take,” Sullivan said.

Disappointed with the loss, Heta was still palpably pleased with his side’s performance. Outside stealing an upset win, it was the next best way to bounce back from last weekend’s 72-12 thrashing at the hands of Bathurst Panthers.

“What a turnaround from last week’s effort,” a visibly exhausted Heta enthused.

“It didn’t go our way but we showed much better attitude than against Panthers and we got a much better result too.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be a game I’d have to work hard to get the boys up for, but that’s it, we now need to make sure we’re turning up like that for every game, not just some.

“I think we’re a very good attacking side, but there’s just a few fundamental errors and some defensive lapses that we need to work on and fix up.

“Hopefully that’ll lead to much better things later in the season.”

It only took 52 seconds before the first cry of “get ‘em onside” from the bumper crowd, and it was only four minutes after that when CYMS opened the scoring. Lachlan Munro charged over after his side won back-to-back penalties in Hawks’ territory.

Kurt Beahan scored a quick-fire double in the 13^th and 16^th minutes, respectively, and with Ben McAlpine’s two successful conversions the green and golds led 16-0.

A blowout looked likely.

But Hawks lifted. The two blues finally enjoyed some extended periods of possession and some jarring defence forced some uncharacteristic errors from CYMS.

From there Heta put Jedd Kennedy over for Hawks’ first then provided Nathan Potts with a perfectly weighted grubber for their second.

He created, and then sent Sione Tongia through, a ginormous hole on CYMS’ line on half-time and kicked all three to put his side in front 18-16 at the break.

CYMS scored first after the break though, Tim Mortimer crossed after Hawks gave away an early penalty. McAlpine missed, one of several reasonably simple shots he sprayed in the second half.

Heta answered back in the 50^th minute, grubbering through for Kennedy, whose quick touch gave Jake Blimka a four-pointer.

Glen Maxwell looked to have scored after McAlpine tried to let a stabbed Heta kick go dead but it was, much to the dismay of the Hawks’ fans, disallowed, proving the CYMS fullback’s judgement correct.

Chris Bamford charged over from the resulting set of six and scored again two minutes later, steamrolling a number of Hawks to score. At that stage CYMS led 30-24.

In the 65^th minute Heta created a two-on-one down the right side, finding Tongia, who then dished to Baker to score. Heta nailed the sideline shot to lock it up.

Hawks had a few more chances, but couldn’t add any more points. CYMS did, 10 more, with tries to Bronx Goodwin and Ryan Griffin and a Brock McGarity conversion.

“We couldn’t seem to execute in their end where they did in ours,” Heta said.

“They turned it around, turned their defence into attack and then points which sort of cost us the game in the end.”

For CYMS, Bamford was magnificent, as was Griffin and Munro shone at centre too after coming into the starting side for Tom Satterthwaite.

Outside Heta, Kennedy, Ethan McKellar and Tongia were standouts, while Nathan Potts’ defensive effort was superb.

ORANGE CYMS 40 (Kurt Beahan 2, Chris Bamford 2, Lachlan Munro, Tim Mortimer, Bronx Goodwin, Ryan Griffin tries; McAlpine 3, McGarity goals) def ORANGE HAWKS 30 (Jedd Kennedy, Nathan Potts, Sione Tongia, Jake Blimka, Jordan Baker tries; Willie Heta 5 goals)