Hornets stung by United's skill

COMING THROUGH: Cudgen’s Robert Kelly (left) runs hard in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League minor semi-final against Northern United on Saturday in Lismore. Photos: NORTHERN STAR

THE quick feet and silky smooth skills of the Northern United backs proved too slippery for the Cudgen Hornets in Saturday’s NRRRL minor semi-final at Crozier Field, Lismore.

In an historic day for the Cudgen club, which had all three sides in finals contention for only the second time in about 20 years, first grade went down 45-28 and the under-18s lost 36-6 to the Mullumbimby Giants.

Reserve grade kept the Hornets in the hunt for a trophy by taking out Marist Brothers 21-20. The side will take on Byron Bay in a preliminary final this week.

First grade coach Con Theodossiou said his team was in the game halfway through the second half, with the score locked at 28-all. But the Dirawongs broke it open by scoring twice off the back of 40/20 kicks.

Cudgen had taken a 24-14 lead into halftime but Northern United came back eager from the break. “In the second half they dominated us a bit with their attack out wide,” Theodossiou said.

“Our boys never gave up and kept trying but it didn’t work out our way.”

Both sides had a player sent off in the first half, Cudgen’s Aaron Aitken for a high shot and Northern United’s halfback Evan Hickling for flopping on his opposing number Craig Field as the former NRL star dived over for a try.

The referee awarded Cudgen an eight-point try in response to Hickling’s effort not long before the break. But Theodossiou said the Dirawongs benefited from the more open game which resulted.

Cudgen went into the encounter with four players unavailable through injury while another five played injured.

“In the end we just ran out of troops. A few blokes who were injured went back out in the second half but couldn’t perform to their optimum,” Theodossiou said.

“I am disappointed but we couldn’t have done a whole lot more. At this stage of the season, injuries are part and parcel of the game.”

Football manager Graeme Lawrence said he couldn’t take away anything from Northern United who lifted significantly after the break and brought its attacking flair to the fore.