Last Sunday the Blayney Bears shocked everyone but themselves when they tied against the mid-ladder Orange Hawks side.
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“No one from Blayney was shocked,” said the president of the club, Adam Hornby, “We’ve played like that, at times, all year.”
“Last weekend was the first time that we’ve played like that for the full eighty minutes,
“We’ve had glimpses of how they can play every week with really close first halves like the 8-4 result against Orange CYMS, and I think that Hawks were very, very shocked with what occurred on Sunday.”
Hawks held double-digit leads three times throughout the game, but every single time the winless, last-placed Bears clawed their way back into the game.
Hawks led 10-0 early, 20-6 late in the first half and then 30-18 late in the second, but couldn’t find a way to close the game out.
The Bears fought back to 30-30, but when Hawks fullback Jedd Kennedy scored in the 78th minute – Heta converted – the game looked over.
Swooping on a Hawks error, the Bears barged their way down field and Bailey Perkins dived over under the sticks with 10 seconds left on the clock.
Josh Rainbow duly slotted the extras, sparking raucous celebrations among the Bears players and fans.
“It’s closer to a win than a loss for us,” Will Ingram said.
“The boys showed a lot of ticker there. That was missing in the first five or six rounds but the last few weeks, especially against (Orange) CYMS and (Bathurst) St Pat’s it came.
“To put it together against Hawks, a side the whole Group rates title contenders, and get one point is a big confidence booster.
“I think that’ll be the stepping stone to bigger things for us.”
League Tag snag a draw as well
Orange Hawks and the Blayney Bears fought out a thrilling 13-all draw in the two sides’ round 11 clash at Wade Park on Sunday.
Having swept virtually all before them this season, Marty Lyden’s league tag side looked set to breeze past Blayney too, jumping out to 10-0 at half-time thanks to tries to Jacky Lyden and Sophie Humphris.
A penalty goal to Bec Ford in the second stanza then bumped Hawks out to a two converted tries advantage.
But the defending champs clawed their way back, Sophie Stammers crossing first to make it 12-6 before Liv Bird bagged a converted try to draw level with Hawks with seven minutes left.
With minutes remaining, Ford coolly slotted home a one-pointer for Hawks to edge to a 13-12 lead.
Hawks spilled the ball off the kick-off allowing the Bears back into the contest, an invitation Bird gladly took in the form of a successful field goal for Blayney in the dying minutes of the clash.
