It truly was a “game of two halves”
FROM Spooner Oval in Forbes on Sunday afternoon, the old cliches were coming thick and fast – ‘The Maggies’ have had their wings clipped; Forbes hasn’t turned up, Orange CYMS has come to play”. The half time score was 26-4 in favour of Dan Mortimer and his visiting “CYMMIES”.
40 minutes later and the conversation had turned around.
“I’d like to know what they’ve had in the sheds” was the most frequent comment as the ‘Pies flew out and with “the wind beneath their wings”, “flew home with a wet sail”.
Led by proud Forbes juniors, lock Jake Grace, half and captain Nick Greenhalghe and multi-talented fullback Mitch Andrews and supported by a flock of black and white birds whose feathers had been ruffled by coach Cam Greenhalghe in the sheds, the locals dive-bombed Orange CYMS to book a showdown with Dubbo CYMS.
As scores came through and I relayed them to the crowd at Apex Oval, there were even more cliches – “the Orange Fishies are being dive-bombed by the spring invaders”; CYMS has “dropped the ball”; “the visitors clocked off at half-time”.
It seems it was oneway traffic as the 2016 and 2018 Group 11 Premiers launched their match-winning comeback. They have now set up a classic inaugural Peter Mcdonald Cup Western Rams premiership clash with the team they have beaten to take both of those titles.
It will be an intriguing contest, no doubt consuming plenty more ‘words of wisdom’ as mere mortal journalists and spectators try to capture the moments as the pendulum swings and momentum shifts on the big stage!
Apex Oval Sunday. Be there!