THE fourth-placed Orange City Lions are hanging onto their top five spot by a thread after suffering a second straight Blowes Clothing Cup loss on Saturday, to the fast-finishing Cowra Eagles.
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After blowing a 12-6 half-time lead to lose out 20-12, Orange City is now just one point ahead of both Cowra and Bathurst Bulldogs, who are equal in fifth although the latter side sits higher on points difference.
Considering the fact the Lions have to play third-placed Dubbo Kangaroos and competition leaders Orange Emus in the last two regular season rounds, it’s not a position Orange City coach Steve Hamson wanted to be in.
“You wouldn’t budget winning either of those,” Hamson said.
Losses in both of those games would open up the very real possibility of the Lions missing the finals completely, although that would also require Cowra to upset second-placed Forbes in the last round.
Cowra skipper Chris Miller said while his side will go into that game as underdogs and coming off a bye, Saturday’s win has given the Eagles bucketloads of confidence.
“We know we’re good enough,” Miller fired.
“If we’re lucky enough to get in the semi-finals we know anything can happen from there.
We gave away too many penalties and invited the referee into the game.
- Lions coach Steve Hamson
“We knew we could win [on Saturday], that played a big part … we believed in ourselves.”
In a game which lacked fluency thanks to both sides’ lack of discipline, Cowra recovered from a six-point half-time deficit to roar home in front of a vocal crowd, bolstered by the club’s annual Old Boys’ Day celebrations.
Alex Webster gave Cowra an early 6-0 lead with back-to-back penalty goals before Joe Lasagavibau scored two tries in quick succession to give the Lions a 12-6 lead, Duncan Young only kicked one of his two conversion attempts.
Momentum swung in Cowra’s favour after half-time but the Eagles couldn’t convert pressure into points as the visitors’ defence held firm.
But after Feleti Wolgramm saw yellow and Young missed two penalty goal attempts, Cowra finally broke the Lions’ line.
Jimmy Montgomery crossed then not long after that his brother Jeremy did too and Webster’s two conversions sealed the eight-point win and kept Cowra’s hopes of a finals berth alive.
“We had enough opportunities. We didn’t have much ball in the second half but we kicked a lot away,” Hamson lamented.
“The critical thing was our decision making at the break down we gave away too many penalties and invited the referee into the game.”
COWRA EAGLES 20 (Jimmy Montgomery, Jeremy Montgomery tries; Alex Webster 2 conversion, 2 penalty goals) def ORANGE CITY LIONS 12 (Joe Lasagavibau 2 tries; Duncan Young conversion)