At halftime in their match against Moss Vale, the winless Campbelltown City Kangaroos were down 16-6 and staring down the barrel of their seventh defeat of the season.
But to the relief of the club, and indeed new coach Isaac de Gois, the Kangaroos dug deep in the last 40 minutes to finally get a win this season.
Their courageous and gutsy 28-22 win away from home may just be the circuit breaker the Kangaroos needed to resuscitate their season.
Kangaroos will get a golden opportunity to bag another win when they host bottom side Oakdale when the competition resumes on June 16-17 after the general bye for this long weekend.
Last year’s premiers are six points out of the top five, so their task is not insurmountable – all they need to do from now on is just keep winning.
At the pointy end of the ladder, the team the Kangaroos beat in last year’s premiership decider, the Thirlmere Roosters, rule the roost after a hard fought 28-18 win over the Narellan Jets on Sunday afternoon, reports MIKE SHEAN, of Macarthur Sports Radio:
Scoring was at a premium in the first half, with the first try coming after 19 minutes when Thirlmere’s young forward Bryce Ritchie-Manns drew first blood for the visitors.
Minutes later five eighth Dayne Craig scored, and it looked as though it would be a long afternoon for the home side, who were suddenly 12-0 down.
However, the Jets weren’t about to fly the white flag, with replacement back Stuart Mason scoring to start a fightback.
When veteran centre Sou Kamuta scored the second Narellan try four minutes later then home side were right back in the game at 12-8.
Thirlmere came out of the blocks better in the second half, with replacement forward Mitch Fitzgerald scoring only three minutes after the resumption to extend the Roosters lead to 16-8.
Another replacement, Sa Patiole, scored shortly after, and at 22-8 it suddenly looked as though Thirlmere were going to run away with the game.
However Narellan still had some fight in them and when winger Jarrod Forrest scored in the corner the deficit was reduced to 22-12.
With 11 minutes left, Thirlmere winger Allan Shipley, another of the young brigade, scored to give his team a 28-12 lead.
Despite a late try to Narellan winger Hayden Cini, who scored out wide in the final minute of play, the Roosters held on to collect their sixth win of the season, 28-18.
RESULTS – ROUND 8 – FIRST GRADE
Oakdale Workers 6 Camden Rams 28;
Moss Vale Dragons 22 Campbelltown City 28;
The Oaks Tigers 18 Picton Magpies 20;
Narellan Jets 18 Thirlmere Roosters 28.
RESERVE GRADE
Oakdale 6 Camden 48;
Appin Dogs 24 Campbelltown City 12;
Oran Park Chargers 26 Mittagong 32;
The Oaks 10 Picton 17;
Narellan 34 Thirlmere 0.
UNDER 18
Warragamba Wombats 20 Mittagong 24;
Narellan 26 Thirlmere 10;
Moss Vale 28 Campbelltown City 0.
LEAGUE TAG
Oakdale 0 Camden 50;
Oran Park 48 Mittagong 0;
Narellan 18 Thirlmere 6;
Moss Vale 6 City Gold 18;
The Oaks 10 Picton 0.
SECOND DIVISION
Warragamba Wombats 50 Bowral Blues 0;
Narellan 38 Thirlmere 6;
Bundanoon Highlanders 10 Campbelltown City 6.
ROUND 9 – JUNE 16-17
The Oaks v Camden
Mittagong v Narellan
Thirlmere v Moss Vale
Campbelltown City v Oakdale
