WITH a win over Binnaway last Saturday the Bears consolidated fourth spot in the Castlereagh competition and a spot in the semi-fianl for the season 2020. (Albeit with only two wins)
Coach Paul Cleary fielded possibly his strongest side for the season although still missing personnel through injury and hard-running second rower Troy Evans through a wedding.
Bears got off to a flying start with the ground announcer hadn’t even read through the teams for the crowd when Derek Robinson crossed out wide for the first of his two tries for the match.
Jake Fernando had a golden day with boot kicking eight goals from nine attempts – the majority from wide angles.
Binnaway weren’t going to surrender easily because a win to them would have put them into the play-offs.
There were heaps of classical hits up front with both forwards getting stuck into each other, none stronger than Josh Cock and Ben Powers for the Bears.
The half-time score line read bears 30 Binnaway 12.
With only two players available on the interchange bench Binnaway were going to find it difficult to go the distance agaisnt a full competent of bears players.
The inexperience of the Binnaway flankers was evident as five of the Bears tries were scored from kicks in general play with the Bears chases proving to strong.
Although the Binnaway Flankers lacked experience the attackers have to back their own ability and put themselves into the position to take advantage.
Jake Fernando didn’t only dominate with his boot, he also crossed for four of the Bears nine tries.
Josh Cock was rewarded with a four pointer, Marshall Williams also crossed from dummy half with Louis Murphy crossing for the Bears’ remaining four pointer.
Halves pairing Matt Sheather and Cody Tickle which proved successful against Gilgandra two weeks earlier were dominant once again.
The final score line saw the Bears comfortable winners 52 to 18.
This Saturday all roads lead to Gilgandra with the semi-finals in progress from 10.15am.
Baradine Magpies V Coonamble Bears in League Tag followed by Youth League Coonamble V Binnaway followed by a second League tag game Dunedoo V Gilgandra and at 2.30pm Coonamble V Gilgandra in first grade.
On Sunday Cobar V Dunedoo in first grade and Gilgandra in the Youth League at Cobar.
Bears points this week were: Jake Fernando 4, Derek Robinson 2, Marshall Williams, Josh Cock, Louis Murphy (Tries). Jake Fernando 8 Goals.
By JOE BELLGARDT