Frustrating, that was the first word that sprang to Mudgee Dragons first division coach Warwick Colley’s mind when asked about his side’s 20-12 loss to Lithgow yesterday.
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While it is only two rounds into the Group 10 season the Dragons side could be sitting on two competition wins.
However, Colley said he was not getting too worried yet saying the side will improve the more time it spends together on and off the field.
“It was very frustrating because once again we had a good side out there today,” Colley said.
“We looked good in the ball positions but we just sort of self-destructed there in the second half.
“We spoke about letting our front-rowers getting forward and then moving the ball to the edge but we just didn’t do it.
“It’s only early on in the season and we haven’t had many ball work training sessions so if we can have more of them then I think we will be alright.”
Mudgee got the worst possible start as a turnover from the kick-off led to Eli Felton crashing over for the away side to give them a converted try lead.
That lead grew for the visitors when a flat pass by Mudgee five-eighth Kurt Thompson was picked off by centre Guy Merrick as he raced 20m back the other way.
Mudgee started to muscle up in defence as the game started to level out as the home side desperately sought to break through.
They got it when Zac Adams burst through the Workies’ left hand edge before a well-timed pass on the inside found halfback Justin Gossage who converted his effort to cut the margin to just four at half-time.
Soon after the resumption Lithgow earned another penalty at half-way and used the pressure to hammer away at the Dragons line.
A scything run from hooker Harry Bender saw him cut through soft Dragons defence to score under the posts.
He was slow to rise from the impact of the defence, but with the successful conversion the margin was back out to 10.
Mudgee continued to be their own worst enemy as they tried to come out of their own half.
A knock-on from the first tackle gifted the away side a terrific place from which to attack and they did not waste the opportunity, as Merrick claimed his second try for the game.
Despite the missed conversion the game started to get away for the home side as Lithgow led 20-6 in the 58th minute.
Both sides started to engage in niggling tactics as they tried to get under each other’s skin.
Eventually the referee had seen enough and sent a player to the sin bin with 12 minutes remaining.
In spite of its numbers disadvantage the Dragons continued to run out the game well as they set up camp in the Workies’ red-zone.
As if to underscore what the team is capable of, Curtis Solomon scored a sensational solo try at the death as he bumped off several Lithgow defenders to crash over and make the score 20-12 with a minute left.
