DESPITE being defeated 62-20 on Sunday at Rex Hardaker Oval by the Sawtell Panthers, the Macksville Sea Eagles were anything but disgraced in the Group 2 rugby league clash.
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With seven of their first graders from the previous weekend unavailable, and facing off against a team vying with them for fourth place, the Eagles knew they were facing a daunting task, but their first half effort was excellent.
The Panthers scored early as the makeshift Eagles’ squad struggled for some pattern, but Macksville soon found their structure.
Close to the line the Eagles went on the attack and quick passing found Ricky Morris sweeping wide to find Keith Donovan charging onto the ball and racing through three would-be tacklers to score out wide.
Tyler Doolan converted to lock the scores up at six-all.
Sawtell scored two tries to move to 16-6 before Morris sent another great ball to see Donovan again race in out wide to reduce the Panthers’ lead to 16-10.
A scrum 40 metres out saw the Eagles next try when Damien Carriage took the pass from Lucas Grace who stepped beautifully to leave three defenders in his wake. Joe Borg converted and the scores were again locked, at 16-all.
In the dying stages of the half Sawtell ran in two quick tries to have a 26-16 lead at the break.
Morris scored a great and well deserved individual try early in the second stanza, beating three defenders to place the ball down out wide to reduce the Panthers’ lead to 26-20.
But when he joined an injury list that had already seen Doolan and Carriage not return to the field in the second half, hopes of an Eagles victory were all but dashed.
As the half progressed the Eagles found themselves with as many as eight players on the field who had already played a full game earlier in the day, and the Sawtell team took full advantage in the last 20 minutes.
Despite the final scoreline the Eagles’ supporters were not disappointed with their team’s effort, and the guts of under 18s Caleb Handley, Jake Capell, Donovan and Carriage in particular.
* With so many first grade players unavailable the Eagles’ reserves were always going to struggle and in the end they were defeated 74-4 by the Panthers, with Dean Buchanan scoring the try.
Despite the loss the reserves will still be a part of the finals’ race in a fortnight’s time and have a chance at taking out this competition.
* They had already wrapped up the minor premiership, yet the Eagles’ under 18s did not let any complacency into their game, beating the third placed Panthers 38-18.
This was a clinical display by the Eagles who took an early lead through Handley and maintained that lead throughout.
As well as Handley, Jai Doolan scored two tries while Tasman Jarrett, Josh Bartlett, Keith Donovan and Damien Carriage scored a try each while Handley kicked five goals.
* This weekend sees the final round of the regular season for the Tooheys Blue Group 2 competition, with the Eagles guaranteed a place in the finals in all three grades.
The Eagles will take on the Orara Valley Axemen in two grades on Saturday, with the reserve grade set to kick off at 1pm.
