Mudgee coach Jack Littlejohn left Glen Willow on Sunday a happy man after his Dragons side fired big time in the second half of their minor semi-final victory against Lithgow.
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Down 16-0 after 20 minutes, the Dragons breathed fire to race to a 32-16 lead, veteran winger Jared Robinson scoring a treble in the victory.
The home side went on to win 36-30, letting Workies back into the game late, but by and large Littlejohn was thrilled with his side and says the red and whites will travel to Wade Park full of confidence with a spot in the 2019 Group 10 grand final on the line when they play Hawks next Sunday.
"We came out firing in the second half," Littlejohn said.
... but it was good for the boys to fight and get away with a win like that going into next week.
- Mudgee coach Jack Littlejohn
"I just said to the boys that we needed to hold the ball because they've got big forwards, they couldn't put up with the heat so that's when we started rolling.
"We let them back into it through poor discipline and thinking that we had it wrapped up when we didn't, but it was good for the boys to fight and get away with a win like that going into next week."
Mudgee's six-point win ends the 2019 season of Lithgow, Workies completing an incredible second half of the season to qualify for the finals.
After trailing early, the home side had the lead seven minutes after the break when Jayden Brown crossed for the red and whites, and then never relinquished it from there surging to a 32-16 lead and then 36-20 advantage before two late tries to Workies added some consolation to the season-ending loss.
Joining Mudgee at Wade Park next weekend will be Mudgee Dragons (under 18s league tag), Orange CYMS (league tag), Blayney Bears (under 18s) and Bathurst Panthers (first division) after their respective minor semi-final victories at Glen Willow.
- MUDGEE DRAGONS 36 (Jared Robinson 3, Lee Hicks 2, Jayden Brown, Jack Beasley tries; Harrison Maynard 2, Jack Beasley 2 goals) def LITHGOW WORKIES 30
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