AN eight try-performance to topple the previously undefeated Dragons in Mudgee - St Pat's captain-coach Zac Merritt has rated Sunday's 42-10 victory as one of the best of his tenure.
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As the only side in the Peter McDonald Premiership to go undefeated through the first five rounds, Mudgee went into the match at Glen Willow as hot favourites.
But Merritt's men proved to be savage underdogs.
By half-time the Saints led 24-0 against a side that had boasted one the of the best defensive records in the competition.
By full-time the Saints not only became the first side to beat Mudgee on its home turf since the inception of the PMP, but did so in dominant fashion.
"I'm pretty excited, that win it's right up there, especially a tough road trip to Mudgee and backs against the wall," Merritt said.
"We've been building for it over the last few weeks, losing to Panthers really clicked us into gear. I've got blokes back in the right areas and blokes playing a bit better brand of footy.
"We knew that it was a top of the ladder clash, we really wanted to turn up against them. I couldn't be any happier with what the boys did, I'm pretty proud.
"You could just see from the very start that we were on, that we were there to play."
Having scored a pair of tries in his debut for the Saints a week earlier, winger Call Naden added another double to his tally in the opening stages of the Mudgee clash.
Smart kicking from the Saints halves saw Naden able to use his natural athleticism to brilliant effect.
"He's got that AFL background, so we kicked across field to him and he scored a couple of tries that most wingers wouldn't score," Merritt said.
"He jumped up in the air to take the ball, they were real good tries. When you've got quality halves too like Willie [Wright] and Noah [Griffiths] that really know the game, steer us around the park and put it on a dime for him, it's good."
Griffiths himself crossed in the opening half, as did centre Haze Reweti and lock Aaron Mawhinney as the Saints capitalised on having the breeze at their backs.
But even in the second half when the Saints ran into the wind the points continued to come.
Prop Luke Single bagged a second half brace while Matt Beattie crossed as well to ensure there was to be no Mudgee comeback.
It was part of what was the Saints' best attacking performance of the season thus far and what now ranks them second only to Group 11 based Dubbo CYMS in terms of points scored.
"It was a lot better than has been, the key men really stepped up and put the ball where it needed to go. We were scoring tries we haven't been scoring in the last few weeks, they've been there, but we we able to finish them against Mudgee," Merritt said.
"It was just taking the easier option. There have been times when we were getting tackled when we probably should've scored, whereas today everyone knew their job and got to where they had to."
Though Mudgee did get on the scoresheet after the break with tries to Ryan O'Connor and Jack Littlejohn, Merritt was pleased with the way his side muscled up in defence to back up what they did in attack.
That element of their game had been missing over the first four rounds. Even when beating Nyngan and Lithgow the Saints conceded six and four tries respectively.
"We just invested ourselves," Merritt said.
"We turned up ready to defend. The second half they had the wind, when we had it in the first half we were able to put 24 points on, but we spoke at half-time saying we hadn't won anything yet and we came out and put them away.
"So that was really pleasing."
Though Mudgee retains is status as the leader of the Group 10 pool, if Sunday's match is any indication the Saints are coming.
- ST PAT'S 42 (Luke Single 2, Call Naden 2, Matt Beattie, Aaron Mawhinney, Haze Reweti, Noah Griffiths tries; Willie Wright 5 goals) defeated MUDGEE DRAGONS 10 (Ryan O'Connor, Jack Littlejohn tries; James Goonrey goal)
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