Halves Cameron Breust and Warren Williams gave Cowra fans plenty to cheer about on Saturday afternoon, lifting the Magpies to a comfortable 24-6 victory against Bathurst St Pat’s in round six Group 10 action.
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All square at halftime at Sid Kallas Oval, Breust and Williams took charge at the restart as Cowra piled on 24 unanswered points courtesy of a Williams double and one each to Breust and Toby Nobes.
Williams was at his damaging best with ball in hand while Breust was clinical with his kicking and decision making particularly in attacking territory.
“Rory [Brien, coach] really set the tone at the break about being patient and finishing off our sets,” Cowra halfback Cameron Breust said post-match.
“Me and Warren combining together I thought we went really well especially once we got in front we kept being patient.
“It’s good to see our team performing across the park. Our forwards are setting the platform which makes it easier for us backs to play off the back of it.”
Neither side gave an inch during the opening 40 minutes which was highlighted by both side’s solid defence and productive completions.
The match was bound to be decided in the early exchanges of the second stanza and Bathurst St Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock knew that.
“We had to stay in that grind. One side was going to give it up and we gave it up in the first six minutes. I thought it was a real good game in the first-half there was nothing between them. I thought both sides played like they belonged at the top of the table,” Kurt Hancock said.
Williams broke the deadlock in the 46th minute charging onto a short pass from Breust and carrying multiple St Pat’s defenders across the line.
The lead extended minutes later when Breust bustled under the posts and added the extras for a 12-0 lead.
Williams bagged his second in the 56th minute before Toby Nobes found some open space inside St Pat’s 20m in the 63rd.
Breust kicked both to all but confirm the result.
St Pat’s crossed for a late four-pointer through Tyson Medlyn but it was nothing but a consolation.
The result strengthens Cowra’s 2017 finals claims and makes it two wins in a row ahead of two more home games against Bathurst Panthers and Orange Hawks in the coming weeks.
“Our defence has improved hugely,” Breust said.
“If we can really concentrate on getting these next two games we’re going to be a really destructive team coming into the back end of the season.”
Hancock said St Pat’s can’t afford the amount of penalties and errors they racked up against Cowra.
“I thought we finished alright but we have to be more disciplined than that.”
While Williams and Breust were standouts, Mitch Browne was fantastic in the second-row.
Cowra Magpies 24 (Warren Williams 2, Cameron Breust, Toby Nobes tries; Cameron Breust four goals) defeated Bathurst St Pat’s 6 (Tyson Medlyn try; Garry Reilly goal).
