Despite ageing bodies playing five games across three days far from home, Orange flew through the B-grade NSW Men's Masters State Championships undefeated, culminating in a 3-1 victory in the final on Sunday in Wollongong.
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First half goals to David Watson, Peter Tattersall and Dave Cowan set the team up for the win over Coffs Harbour, but more impressive was the defensive effort completed by the team to keep their opponent scoreless in the second half.
Orange finished top of their pool following wins over Bathurst 2 (6-1), Sydney 2 (3-0) then a 2-all draw with New England.
The side edged a 4-3 win over Central Coast in the semi-final to promote them to the final, where they completed a historic win.
We always had someone different on the bench so we were changing it up a fair bit and everyone pulled their weight.
- Orange masters co-captain Darren Marjoram
David Watson and Darryn Marjoram captained the side, which scored 18 goals and conceded just seven, with the title Orange's first win in the division.
Marjoram said it was great to achieve the city's first win in that age group.
"We've had one [win] in over 40s, two over 45s, but that was the first over-50s," Marjoram said.
While in the 50s bracket, the side had five players who were down an age division, with Rex D'Aquino, Ken Law, Tony Rodd and Tom Simmonds all able to play over-55s, while Dave Cowan at 60 could be playing two age groups up.
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Marjoram said said "teamwork" was the secret to the older side's success in the tournament, which was achieved with just 12 men in the final.
"Everyone pulled their weight across the park. Defenders defended really well, attackers scored the goals and midfield ran their guts out while Milney (David Milne) was really good too as goalkeeper," he said.
He kept the moral going and didn't discriminate with his sledging of each and every member of the team.
- Orange masters co-captain Darren Marjoram
"We always had someone different on the bench so we were changing it up a fair bit and everyone pulled their weight."
However, the biggest boost, according to Marjoram, was his co-captain "Poss" Watson "reminding everyone about our inadequacies".
"He kept the morale going and didn't discriminate with his sledging of each and every member of the team," he said laughing.
Marjoram skipper was also selected in the NSW side to play in Western Australia in the Australian titles later in the year, but he said there easily could have been more.
"That's a reflection on the team on how we all worked together and played together," he said.
"(It was good) especially to do it from B-grade, most of them come from A-grade."
"If we'd been up a division we might have had a few more, Craig Rochester and Peter Tattersall both could have made it," he said.
The side will have the chance to put more players up for selection next year, with the players seemingly keen to have another tilt in the A-grade competition next year.
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