Roosters have something to crow about
Wednesday August 12, 2009
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Roosters retirees: Ian Prendergast, Peter Ford and Steve Ford were wished well by Cobar Rugby League Club president Harley Toomey before their first grade match on Friday night at Tom Knight Memorial Oval.
The Cobar Roosters certainly gave their captain/coach Peter Ford, the team’s goal kicker Steve Ford and veteran forward Ian Prendergast a final home game to remember when they beat the visiting Nyngan Tigers 34-24 in the Tooheys New Group 11 Rugby League competition on Friday night at Tom Knight Memorial Oval.
It was the final home game of the season for the Roosters and the second last 2009 Group 11 competition game before semi finals begin next week.
Friday’s game was also the final home game for the Ford brothers who are planning to leave town after the end of this season, while Prendergast has decided that, at age 44, it’s time to hang up his football boots.
After what has been a fairly ordinary season for the club, the First Grade Roosters took to the field on Friday night at Tom Knight Memorial Oval with renewed vigour and served it up to the Tigers and, while Nyngan may have put first points on the board, it was the Roosters who always looked to be in control throughout the match.
The First Grade side ran out on Friday with a relatively fresh side.
A large number of the Cobar Under 18s ran on in the Reserve Grade side after Nyngan were unable to field an Under 18s side.
The boosted Reserve Grade team numbers meant a number of the First Grade players were not required to double up and play two grades as many have had to do for most of the season.
Young Rooster Raymond Ebsworth played an inspirational game stepping up to centre in First Grade and scoring Cobar’s first points under the post.
He also ran in their last try in a sensational solo effort which involved a 70 metre sprint to the line.
His first try came after a high bomb from Steve Ford that was fumbled by the Tigers and Ebsworth, in the right place at the right time, quickly gathered up the ball and scooted over the line for an easy try.
Steve Ford’s spot-on kicking levelled the scores at 6-all and Ford’s kicking continued to find its mark all game.
Tristan Everett touched down for the Roosters’ second try after he got a favourable bounce, again from one of Ford’s kicks in play, and then dodged a number of Tiger defenders to score under the posts.
Ford’s conversion was successful and the Roosters led 12-6.
The Tigers couldn’t catch Roosters’ slippery centre Sean Cox who evaded three defenders and stretched out over the line to score the Roosters third try out wide and extend their lead to 16-6.
Ford’s kick narrowly missed the mark but that was soon forgotten when he put in a grubber kick near his line which he regathered to score under the posts.
His successful conversion gave the Roosters a 22-6 lead going into half time.
Nyngan came out firing after the break and scored in their first set of six to close the gap to 22-12.
Peter Ford then busted his way over the try line to score for the Roosters and brother Steve’s conversion took the score to 28-12.
Two quick tries by Nyngan had them
back in the game (28-24) and they looked to have the ascendency for the first time in the match.
That was until Ebsworth picked up a loose ball deep in Tigers’ territory and outsprinted his opponents the 70 metres to his line to score.
Steve Ford converted and the Cobar pack found something extra in the tank to hold out the final attacking raids by the Tigers to win the match 34-24.
Cobar’s Reserve Grade, which was bolstered by a large number of the Under 18s players, ran out of time in their match and were unlucky to loose the match 26-24.
Jason Kershaw crossed the try line twice, while Jye Hellman and Luke Quintal crossed for one each.
Rhys Power kicked four goals.
Cobar’s Under 18s won on a notified forfeit as did the Cobar Old Boys side, who reportedly would have had enough players for two teams.
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