By BRYSON LUFF

A flurry of points to the Gilgandra Panthers in the opening minutes of their Boronia Cup game at Dunedoo against the Swans proved to be the final difference between the two sides, the Panthers scoring at more than a point a minute to establish an18 points to nil lead with just 15 minutes of the match elapsed.

As it turned out the flair shown by the Panthers in attack during that opening period not only proved to be the difference on the scoreboard at the end, but also provided the majority of the entertainment that was to be forthcoming in what was otherwise a very dour affair played on a heavy track.

After the visitor’s initial onslaught, the game turned in to an arm wrestle and the 18 to nil score line was carried through to the half time break after which the Swan’s faithful were given some cause for hope of a resurgence when their fullback, Will Wood, scored early after the resumption of play but their joy was short lived when the Panthers went on to claim another two tries, one converted, to take them out to 28 points.

The Swans however did score another converted try late in proceedings to make the final score 28 to 10, the damage inflicted by the Panthers in the opening stages of the game proving to be the final difference between the two sides.

The win by Gilgandra sets up a blockbuster Boronia Cup game against the Cobar Roosters in Gilgandra next Saturday.

The Roosters avenged their loss to the Gulgong earlier in the season with a hard-fought win over the Terriers at Cobar, having to come from behind to claim the competition points with a 24 to 16 victory.

At one stage the visitors had the home side on the back foot, trailing 10 points to nil, before the Roosters slowly worked their way back into the game with once again, the 2021 Castlereagh League Player Of The Year, Thomas Plater, playing a major role in the victory.

The win by Cobar sees them retain their first place on the competition ladder, a position that they will be hell bent on retaining this Saturday when they travel to Gilgandra to take on the second placed Panthers in a match that should pack out Gil’s McGrane Oval.

On the League Tag front the Gilgandra Pink Panthers scored a major upset when they downed the Dunedoo Swannettes 28 to 22 at Dunedoo last Saturday, throwing the competition wide open, whilst Gulgong and Narromine retained their positions in the top four with wins over Cobar and Binnaway respectively.

Apart from the big Boronia Cup clash in Gilgandra this Saturday two local derbies will feature in round 11 of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition with southern neighbours Gulgong and Dunedoo playing at Gulgong’s Billy Dunn Oval and a northern derby between Coonamble and Baradine taking place in Coonamble (with a 4.00pm kick off for the first game).

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League round 10 scores

League Tag

Narromine 22 (Logan MacKenna-Maidens 2, Abby Mitchell, Lily Spackman, Kelsea Phillips tries, Spackman goal) defeated Binnaway 4 (Lila Strong try).

Gulgong 22 (Emily Kirk 2, Taylor Pennell, Melanie Ballard, Mel Robinson tries, Robinson goal) defeated Cobar 8 (Aisha Schofield, Brianna Watson tries)

Gilgandra 28 (Shian Chatfield 2, Talitha Chatfield 2, Mab Fuller tries, Talitha Chatfield 4 goals) defeated Dunedoo 22 (Brianna Smith 2, Alexis Gallagher, Allannah Stoddart, Mia Gallagher tries, Mia Gallagher goal)

Competition Ladder

Baradine 28 (+134), Dunedoo 26 (+118), Narromine 26 (+104), Gulgong 24 (+20), Coonamble 22 (+24), Gilgandra 22 (-50), Cobar 16 (-130), Binnaway 14   (-202).

Rugby League

Cobar 24 (Nathan McAndrew 2, Thomas Plater 2, Jack Brown tries, Plater 2 goals) defeated Gulgong 16 (Ethan Pegus 2, David Morrison tries, James Morrison 2 goals).

Gilgandra 28 (Hayden Smith 2, David Smith 2, Blake Frost tries, David Smith 4 goals) defeated Dunedoo 10 (Will Wood, Luke Stanton tries, Mitch O’Connor goal).

Competition Ladder

Cobar 28 (+172), Gilgandra 26 (+30), Narromine 24 (-16), Gulgong 23 (+32), Coonamble 23 (+26), Dunedoo 22 (-94), Baradine 15 (-150).

Round 11 Saturday 7^th June.

Gilgandra V Cobar (Boronia Cup Challenge).

Gulgong V Dunedoo.

Coonamble V Baradine (first game kicks off at 4.00pm).

Binnaway and Narromine byes.