KANDOS Waratahs continued to power through the final preliminary rounds of the Centennial Coal Cup with a 30-16 defeat of main rival Oberon Tigers on Saturday.
The round-12 result put the Waratahs four points clear of second-placed Oberon on the competition ladder, with two games to play.
Kandos only has to win one of the remaining matches to be first past the post and to claim the minor premiership at the end of the ordinary competition.
Oberon’s only hope for the minor premiership is for the Kandos side to be beaten twice and to run up big winning scores.
Saturday’s top-of-the-table match-up at Kandos was abandoned in the 63rd minute when Oberon’s Tyson Robinson was injured in a tackle.
The game was held up for 15 minutes before Oberon captain Shane Green approached the referee for a cessation of play due to the serious nature of Robinson’s injury.
Oberon had taken an early 4-0 lead with a third-minute try to Dallas Booth, and it was another 12 minutes before the Waratahs were able to get on the scoreboard with a try to Tim Semple after an interchange of passes with fellow prop Ross Tito.
The Waratahs went out to 12-4 with a touchdown to Cody Cafe after a break by Josh Hook.
Thirty minutes into the game the Waratahs took advantage of a penalty for interference by the Tigers and Peter Waterton surged across for another converted try.
Oberon captain/coach Shane Green, on one leg and with the breeze behind him, constantly put the ball deep behind the last line of defence with an intelligent kicking game that had the Waratahs constantly running the ball away from their line.
Green’s game plan was obvious - to make full use of the wind to gain territorial advantage and keep the Kandos side pinned in their own half. On the back of his kicks the Tigers scored two converted tries, to Robinson and Dallas Booth, to reduce the leeway to 18-16 at the halftime break.
Oberon made a promising start after halftime when winger Mick Gibbons made a break down the sideline but 30 metres out was forced into touch by smart Waratahs’ cover defence.
Ten minutes into the second half, referees’ man-of-the-match Steve Madden forced his way over to increase the Waratahs’ lead to 22-16.
Kandos was gaining ascendancy in the clashes and, following an Oberon indiscretion, Josh Hook kicked a rare penalty goal after Kandos had applied prolonged pressure in the Tigers’ half.
With a foot on the throttle after an assault by the Waratahs’ forwards Ross Tito showed his experience by smashing a hole through the last remaining Oberon defenders to cross for a well-deserved four-pointer.
At 30-16, and with 17 minutes remaining, the injury to Robinson prompted referee Nathan Blanchard to order an early finish to the day’s proceedings, and the game was abandoned with the Waratahs taking the winning points.
The match lived up to its pre-game hype, but the premature ending was a disappointing result to the important clash of the top two teams.
Robinson was taken to Rylstone hospital by ambulance, but later released after observation.
John McGrath had a busy game and was one of Oberon’s best, but Green’s impact on the game was huge considering the nagging injury to his leg.
KANDOS WARATAHS 30 (Semple, Cafe, Waterton, S. Madden, Tito tries; Hook 4 goals, 1 penalty goal) beat OBERON TIGERS 16 (D. Booth 2, Robinson tries; Green 2 goals).
Email a friend