CYMS score easy win over battling Raiders
Mark Rayner - Daily Liberal
Dubbo CYMS maintain bragging rights in their rivalry with Macquarie after they ran out convincing 46-14 winners on Sunday afternoon.
CYMS ran in eight tries to three but did most of the damage in the first half, turning a 4-0 deficit after 15 minutes into a 22-4 lead by the break.
Macquarie opened the scoring through Ash Widders and the teams seemed evenly matched and ready for a big game.
However back-to-back tries for CYMS, starting with one to five-eighth Brad Pickering and followed by a 100-metre effort finished Keiran Cubby-Shipp, ended the game as a contest.
Cubby Shipp was put into space by Wade Kavanagh, who had run 60 metres from his own goal line before getting the ball away.
It opened the floodgates with Kavanagh getting a try of his own and Hayden Howell getting CYMS’ fourth right before half-time.
Alex Bonham converted the first three CYMS tries but missed the conversion of Howell’s try, the only blot on his copybook as he finished the day with seven.
Macquarie really needed to score first in the second half if they were to get back into the game but that opportunity disappeared when CYMS front-rower Jarryn Powell found his way over the line eight into the second half.
The prop completed a rare double minutes later when Macquarie knocked on a towering Bonham bomb and Powyer was there to clean up.
It took the score out to 34-4.
Bonham left several defenders in his wake as he made a 15 metre run to score a try of his own, and Jyie Chapman completed the rout for CYMS with 15 minutes remaining.
Josh Merritt had a quiet first game back from suspension but scored a late try for the Raiders, and Widders got his second in the final minutes of the match.
Willie Wright added the extras to make it 46-14 but it was little consolation for Macquarie.
It was their third loss in four matches to start the season.
Conversely, CYMS are shaping up as the team to beat in 2017.
Bonham was among the best for CYMS, along with his halves partner Pickering, and the forward pack laid the platform.
For Macquarie, veteran hooker Matt Lane tried to lead by example while rookies Luke Gale and John Ciappara also tried hard.
Macquarie will now try to regroup before another local derby against Dubbo Westside at Caltex Park, while CYMS will travel to Kennard Park to take on the resurgent Wellington Cowboys.