The loss continues Old Bar’s miserable record at the Lank Bain Complex. Yet the Pirates should have come home with at least a share of the points. Both sides scored four tries, however, the Pirates managed just two goals –both by under 18 player Joel Minihan, who started the game on the bench. Old Bar went into the game without regular goal kicker Percy King, who was overseas, so the Pirates didn’t have a recognised sharp shooter in the run-on side.

Fullback Keda Moylan look the early attempts but managed to miss one shot from nearly in front and this was costly in the final wash-up.

Moylan had an interesting game. He wore the one jumper into the match but spent the majority of the game in the front line, with Nathan Maher handling the custodian’s role. Moylan mixed the sublime with the erratic, scoring two tries but also taking some strange options, particularly when the Pirates were working play out of their own quarter. Still, he was Old Bar’s most dangerous player in attack.

Forwards Jarrod Wooster and Shannon Ellem were powerhouses for the Pirates, hitting the advantage line hard and often. Wauchope back row of Jamie Tracey, Dylan Hemsley and Khalan Duncan produced similar efforts in what was a tough, bruising encounter. Old Bar’s co-coach Jake Wheeler was also did plenty of hard work. Wauchope’s Beau White showed when he’s still the best three quarter in the group. He troubled the defence just about every time he saw space, scoring three tries including the match winner.

Wauchope led 16-8 at halftime although Old Bar was first on the board via a try to Moylan. Wauchope responded with a try to White but Wooster charged through poor goal line defence to post Old Bar’s  second. White responded with another try for Wauchope and crucially, Sargent landed the angled conversion. Moments later Sargent scored an opportunistic try when he kicked ahead and then dived on the ball over the line after it rebounded off an Old Bar boot. His conversion saw the Blues up by eight at the turnaround.

However, there was more commitment in the Old Bar side in the second half while their ball control improved markedly. They played some crazy football in the first half but they toned this down and hammered the defence. This paid dividends when Moylan fooled the defence with a dummy and Minihan kicked the side’s first goal for the day. Wauchope responded and had field position when Clint Walker latched onto a pass and sprinted the length of the field for the Pirates. But he was chased all the way and was forced to touchdown out wide. The resulting conversion attempt fell short. Old Bar continued the momentum when Moylan produced a 40-20 kick and soon after Minihan landed a penalty goal to have them in front 20-16. Just when it looked as though that would be enough a wayward Wauchope kick sailed towards the touchline. White went high and knocked the ball sideways to winger Rueben Trick. Trick was in space and then positioned White for the tall centre to race across for his hat-trick. Sargent calmly slotted the conversion and the Blues held on to grab the vital competition points.

Wauchope 22 (B White 3, J Sargent tries, J Sargent 3 goals) defeated Old Bar 20 (K Moylan 2, J Wooster, C Walker tries, J Minihan 2 goals).