THE Scone Thoroughbreds sit atop of the Hunter Valley Group 21 Rugby League ladder following a heart-stopping 27-26 victory over the Aberdeen Tigers at McKinnon Field on Sunday.
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The two combatants entered the round four clash undefeated – but it was a Jake Watts field goal, which proved to be the difference.
The Thoroughbreds trotted out strongly, to lead 10-0 early, but the defending premiers flexed their collective muscle to regain the advantage, 22-10, by the break.
A rev-up by coach Aaron Watts saw Scone reduce the margin to 22-20.
However, the Tigers pushed ahead to 26-20.
The Thoroughbreds refused to surrender and levelled it up at 26-all, via a Codie McCarthy try and Nick Watson goal.
Then Watts’ boot secured the win in the dying moments.
In the other encounter, following the Denman-Muswellbrook fixture being deferred due to the representative match, the Singleton Greyhounds and Greta Branxton Colts shared the points courtesy of an 18-all draw on Saturday.
Scone heads the table with eight points, in front of Aberdeen (six), Muswellbrook (four), Denman (two), Singleton (one) and Greta Branxton (one).
In reserve grade, the Rams defeated the Devils 36-34, the Murrurundi Mavericks upset the Thoroughbreds 18-6, the Colts hammered the Greyhounds 36-14 and the Tigers swamped the Merriwa Magpies 46-4.
Muswellbrook’s under-18s accounted for Denman 24-16, Singleton overpowered Greta Branxton 42-6 and Scone thrashed Aberdeen 54-0.
The Ramettes pipped the Devils 18-12 in women’s league tag, while the Thoroughbreds did likewise to the Mavettes, 14-6, the Magpies outclassed the Tigers 28-0 and Holly Fisher-Webster returned to haunt her former side, leading the Colts to a 10-0 triumph over the Greyhounds.
Round four results:
First grade –
Greta Branxton drew with Singleton 18-all
Scone defeated Aberdeen 27-26
Denman v Muswellbrook deferred
Reserve grade –
Muswellbrook defeated Denman 36-34
Murrurundi defeated Scone 18-6
Greta Branxton defeated Singleton 36-14
Aberdeen defeated Merriwa 46-4
Under-18s –
Muswellbrook defeated Denman 24-16
Singleton defeated Greta Branxton 42-6
Scone defeated Aberdeen 54-0
Women’s league tag –
Muswellbrook defeated Denman 18-12
Scone defeated Murrurundi 14-6
Greta Branxton defeated Singleton 10-0
Merriwa defeated Aberdeen 28-0
Round five draw:
Thursday, May 10 –
At Scone
5.30pm: under-18s, Scone v Muswellbrook
6.40pm: first grade, Scone v Muswellbrook
Saturday, May 12 –
At Singleton
1pm: women’s league tag, Singleton v Aberdeen
2pm: under-18s, Singleton v Aberdeen
3.10pm: reserve grade, Singleton v Aberdeen
4.40pm: first grade, Singleton v Aberdeen
At Murrurundi
2pm: women’s league tag, Murrurundi v Muswellbrook
3pm: reserve grade, Murrurundi v Muswellbrook
Sunday, May 13 –
At Scone
11am: women’s league tag, Scone v Merriwa
Noon: reserve grade, Scone v Merriwa
At Denman
10.25am: women’s league tag, Denman v Greta Branxton
11.20am: under-18s, Denman v Greta Branxton
12.30pm: reserve grade, Denman v Greta Branxton
2pm: first grade, Denman v Greta Branxton