THE Tigers' league tag side were on the road to Orange's Wade Park for a sudden death shoot-out against Kandos, with the loser bowing out in 2020.
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Having drawn 10-all in their last encounter, the girls were primed for a rematch, desperate for a victory that would see them back at home this Saturday playing in front of the Can Assist Charity round crowd.
The script couldn't have been more perfect, as the Tigers threw the ball around to record a 26-8 win.
Lourie Bailey was in great form, causing headaches for the opposition, especially early on in the first quarter.
With the Tigers willing to chance their hand, Ella Brien opened the scoreline with a try on the end of a superb backline movement. The Tigers took an early 4-0 lead.
Kandos were not about to lie down, and they fought hard to stay in touch as the play see-sawed up and down the field. The Tigers, however, started to assert their dominance and worked patiently upfield into an attacking position.
Another Lourie Bailey break had Kandos back-pedalling and the ever reliable Bec Fletcher took full advantage as she crossed for a four-pointer in the corner. The Tigers were up 8-0 and running full of confidence.
As the game progressed, the Oberon girls grew in their belief that all of their training, hard work and commitment had paid off. Kandos, on the other hand, were struggling and were forced into errors which stifled any comeback they were trying to build.
The Tigers were straight back on the attack after the drinks break, with Renee Newstead spearing through a gap to find herself in open ground. As the defenders converged, she deftly put in a cross kick to the corner post. As the ball tantalisingly sat up in the in-goal area, it was Lourie Bailey who won a hotly contested race to claim the try.
The Tigers were now up 12-0 and with the shackles free they started to play a bit of razzle-dazzle football. With the ball being moved around freely, and with support players such as Georgia Rich always backing up, the Tigers were finding plenty of holes.
Oberon were in again just before half-time, Ella Brien setting up Bethany Wilkinson to showcase her speed as she dashed 35 metres to advance the Tigers' lead to 16-0 .
From the restart, Lourie Bailey again cut Kandos wide open and the Tigers kept the scoreboard ticking over. But the bounce of the rugby league ball is fickle, and it was Kandos who posted their first try off a high kick to narrow the gap to 16-4.
With 15 minutes left in the match, Oberon seemed to have recovered and gotten their 'mojo' back. Once again, Wilkinson put on her blistering pace, beating half a dozen defenders in a 50-metre run to score her double for the day and, in doing so, giving Oberon a 20-4 buffer.
The last quarter saw the Tigers continue to promote the ball in a series of sweeping backline movements. Brien, on the end of one of these raids, brought up her second try of the day, scoring out wide. Newstead sent a booming touchline conversion over and gave the Tigers an unassailable 26-4 lead.
To their credit, the Kandos girls finished the game with a try on the bell.
The 26-8 victory earned the league tag side the right to compete at home this Saturday in another sudden death contest against Orange Barbarians.
Players' player went to Bec Fletcher, with the best and fairest award going to Georgia Rich. Molly Rose Stiff and Bethany Wilkinson picked up points as well.
This Saturday the men face Bathurst CSU in a grand final qualifying semi-final. The day also marks the annual Can Assist charity fundraiser.
The league tag ladies will start the day off at 1.30pm.
Both teams will be wearing the special Can Assist charity jerseys that will be auctioned off after the men's game.
James Walton from Bowyer and Livermore has kindly offered his team's services to run the auction which will take place centre-field. We encourage everyone to stay around and support this very worthy cause.