Parkes Spacemen recovered from a slow start with a strong second half to finish over the top of a determined Nyngan Tigers side and maintain their unbeaten start to the Group XI season with a 26-16 victory in Nyngan yesterday.
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After going down 10-0 in as many minutes, dynamic play from forward Brandon Tago and two tries to Kevin Frank were the catalyst for a 26 point run for the Spacemen as they made it five wins and a draw from their first six matches.
While Tago and mercurial captain-coach Dennis Moran created the chances, forwards Dave Masoe and Jordan Pope put in season best performances to help grind out a solid away win for the table-topping Spacemen.
The visitors have made a habit of dominating the second half of their matches this season and yesterday was no different after the sides went into the sheds locked at 10-all.
16 unanswered points saw Parkes out to a 26-10 lead before Nyngan crossed in the final minutes to add some respectability to the score line.
Earlier in the day, the Parkes womens League Tag team went down in a cliffhanger 20-18.
Parkes reserves returned to the winner’s circle with a hard fought 16-10 victory, producing a very good performance on the back of successive losses, while Parkes Juniors recovered from an average first half to run away with their match in the second half and cruise to a 42-8 victory.
The first grade encounter started poorly for Parkes when first winger John Yakadrau and then five-eighth Jacob Neil crossed inside the first 10 minutes.
Ryan Rogers’ conversion saw the home side out to an early 10-0 lead.
The Spacemen kicked into gear and cut into the margin when Kevin Franks grabbed the first try of a double after 20 minutes.
Franks was on the end of a well executed backline move which saw the ball spread from one side of the field to the other, allowing the big centre to cross out wide and run around to score close to the posts.
Inexplicably, the normally sound boot of Dennis Moran failed in what most would call a reasonably easy conversion attempt for 10-4.
The competition’s leading point scorer made amends five minutes later when he bamboozled the defence with a typical Dennis Moran try.
Selling the would be Nyngan tacklers a dummy followed by some quick stepping saw Moran score the visitors second.
He made no mistake with the conversion to level the scores at 10-all.
There was no addition to the scores as both sides knuckled down to some solid football.
They both produced some very physical defence and focused on completing their sets in attack.
The Spacemen came out of the sheds firing with Nyngan forced into a line drop out after only four minutes.
A bullocking Brandon Tago returned the kick and busted through the Tigers’ defence.
After making 20 metres, Tago found Frank in support who was able to outrun the defence to score close to the corner post.
The conversion attempt sailed wide for the Spacemen lead to remain at four points.
The margin was extended when Moran found a charging Pope running a good line to score under the posts after 65 minutes.
With eight minutes remaining, Tago busted the Nyngan line again 40 metres out from the line.
He found Masoe in support to score a well deserved try.
Moran’s successful conversion saw the visitors out to 26-10 and safely out of reach.
Nyngan did not give up and when fullback Jeremy Thurston climbed highest for a bomb to score, the conversion saw the score at 26-16 with five minutes remaining.
It was not enough as Parkes held on for a good win to stay at the top of the table.
Masoe was a big contributor to the Spacemen’s turnaround in the second half, especially with his kick-off returns.
He consistently got the Spacemen back out to the 40 metre line and on the front foot from the restarts in a very impressive display.
Star in the making Ethan McKellar enjoyed a rare day.
The young forward played a full game of Under 18s before playing 30 minutes in reserve grade and 20 minutes in first grade.
It is not very often one player will feature in all three matches on the same day.
PARKES 26 (K. Frank 2, Dennis Moran, Jordan Pope, Dave Masoe tries; Moran 3 goals) defeated NYNGAN 16 (John Yakadrau, Jacob Neil, Jeremy Thurston tries; Ryan Rogers, Jeremy Thurston goals) in Nyngan.
Parkes host Narromine at Jock Colley Field this Sunday.