Peter McDonald Premiership 2023: Mudgee defeat Parkes in finals week one

The Dragons looked a bit off the pace for most of their match on Sunday against Parkes at Glen Willow Sporting Complex but managed to put together an attacking masterclass late to steal a 28-20 win.

Trailing for most of the match, Mudgee scored four tries in just 15 minutes to steal the win from the Spacemen.

Last season, the Dragons lost the opening match of the finals and were forced to play Dubbo CYMS in the preliminary final, a match many thought would be the grand final.

But this year will be different.

Earning a week off is a luxury for the Mudgee side now and fullback Jack Littlejohn confessed he needs it.

"I think there are a few sore bodies, me especially," he said.

"I'm getting a bit old so I need the time off, I said to the boys at half time 'I need the week off so let's get out there and get the job done'.

"We started a bit slow in the second half but the boys showed a lot of fight and character to get back."

It was all about Parkes in the opening 20 minutes of the game with Will Wardle opening the scoring after slicing through a hole on the left-hand side.

Wardle along with Sam and Joe Dwyer were brilliant to start the match before an error gave Mudgee a strong field position.

Some lazy defence off the scrum allowed David West to score the Dragons' first four-pointer of the day with James Goonrey's successful conversion levelling the scores up.

Wardle was in the think of things once again just before halftime, this time setting up a try for Sam Dwyer off a clever flick pass as Parkes led 10-6 at the break.

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Things started horribly for Mudgee off the kick-off the ball bounced dead to give Parkes a wonderful attacking chance.

The Spacemen made the most of it as Wardle offload found a speedy Dwyer who ducked and weaved his way over.

However, the play of the day was still yet to come.

Parkes marched up the field once again before a Joe Dwyer grubbed popped up between Wardle and Littlejohn, with the Spacies star slapping the ball out to an unmarked Ryan Goodsell to score.

With just 15 minutes left, it looked like Parkes were going to hold on and clinch a home preliminary final but Mudgee weren't going to die wondering.

First Jake Durrant crossed the line before Casey Burgess followed suit to bring Mudgee within two points.

A clever set play allowed an unmarked Lleyton Lothian to cross with just eight minutes remaining as Mudgee took a 22-20 lead.

Littlejohn's kicking game was excellent for most of the match but he saved his finest kick until last.

"My kicking game is coming along alright, I definitely need to keep working on it," he said.

"You can turn a couple of those big packs around it goes a long way to winning the game."

The former NRL playmaker put in a clever stabbing kick which pulled up just short of the dead ball line forcing Parkes to ground the ball in goal.

Chad Porter attempted a short drop out but a flying Nathan Orr managed to snatch the ball out of the air and race away to seal the win for Mudgee.

Down by 14 points with 15 minutes left, Mudgee skipper Jack Beasley said the group never lost faith and it took a few big men to step up.

"I think our forwards laid a really good platform in that last 15 (minutes)," he said.

"Cody (Godden) and 'Browny' (Hudson Brown) just started rolling and we played off the back of that. With that momentum it was good."

Mudgee will now have the week off and face the winner of Bathurst Panthers and Orange Hawks.

Meanwhile, Parkes will take on Wellington at Pioneer Oval on Sunday, the winner of the match will take on Dubbo CYMS for a spot in the grand final.

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