By Casey OÇonnor
The Warwick Cowboys hosted the Gatton Hawks in the TRL clash on Saturday night at Fr Ranger Oval with the Cowboys going down 16-12 in a tough possibly season-defining game.
The loss puts outside the top six teams with four rounds remaining.
The game was rated by many as one of the toughest games at Fr Range for some time.
Then ferocity of the game saw plenty of unforced errors for both teams and the score remained at nil all until midway through the first half.
Gatton winger Jayden Williams crossed to give the visitors first points on the back of the weight of possession.
Opposition Despite several raids on the opposition line the Cowboys saw little of the ball and the score at half-time was 6-0 and the Cowboys saw little ball in the first half and when the team returned the game was very much in the balance.
Although both sides came out I the second half with real intendent it was the Hawks who drew first blood when when Tyson White score the first of a double in the 47th minute to extend the lead to 10 nil.
A big turning point came in the game when the cowboys lost their inspirational leader Mick Bloomfield who succumbed to a shoulder injury. The boys dug deep. Harry Sullivan and Mitch Wilson kept their team in the game with determined efforts and courage. The pair setup the Cowboys first try in the 52 minute of the game, combining to put Byron Creighton in under the posts.
With the score at 10-6 the Cowboys had gained some momentum and applied plenty of pressure back on the visitors.
Momentum swung back to the visitors when Hayden Lipp kicked the first of two crucial 40/20’s.
Another attempted 40/20 was stymied by Warwick as it was tapped back into play before going over the sideline. The ball was swopped on by Tyson White and he scored an unbelievable try to extend the lead to 16-6.
Warwick were never going to die trying and peppered the Hawks try line defence. Eventually the defence cracked and harry Sullivan close to the uprights. With seven minutes left on the clock the score was 16-12.
It was a tough game, and some great football was marred by poor behaviour on and off the field. One of the Cowboy’s long time sponsors telling Spin he was disgusted by the behaviour and language of the visiting supporters. The bad language also extended to some of the Gatton players on the field saying it was one of the worst exhibitions he has ever seen or heard.
It is understood that a complaint may be lodged with the TRL.
A real pity a good game was ruined for so many by this type of unnecessary behaviour.
Matt and Candy Grew of MCG SHEDS/RANBUILD sponsored the the Best Forwards and Backs awards.
No surprise that in the A Grade Harry Sullivan was named best forward and Tyrelle Ross
Best Back.
A-GRADE
GATTON 16 (Tyson White 2, Jayden Williams tries; Williams 2 goals) defeated WARWICK 12 (Byron Creighton, Harry Sullivan tries; Mathew Marshall 2 goals)
RESERVES
GATTON 16 (Allan Morris, Zac Lindle, Scott Cubit tries; Jagan Swan 2 goals) defeated WARWICK 12 (Coen Martin-Brown, Cameron Martin-Brown tries; Matthew Henry 2 goals)
UNDER 19s
GATTON 44 (Damien Burrows 3, Nathan Kleidon, Shoneton Karapen, Hayden Dunn, Jake Roberts, Caeleb Nagan tries; Kaden Buhse 6 goals) defeated WARWICK 6 (Nick Carrie try; Carrie goal)
This weekend the Cowboys travel to Dalby to take on the Diehards on Saturday night in what will be another tough game.
