JUNIOR Myall River Hawks tasted the sweet tang of victory once again, against the Mallabula Panthers on Saturday, 1 July.

After a lengthy delay because of an absentee referee, the Hawks’ new electronic scoreboard sat idle, and the juniors wore their cool new headgear, but with no game to play.

Thankfully, on behalf of both clubs and the spectators, seniors Referee Wooderspoon was able to fill in, with five minutes taken off both halves to avoid losing the subsequent seniors’ games to dusky darkness.

Despite the delay, the junior Hawks remained raring to go, as they pelted out of the gates and ploughed through Mallabula’s lines to get Hawks’ first try by #12, with a successful conversion to #7.

Malabula had an unfortunate early player down, and with precious minutes ticking by on the new countdown clock, the Hawks resumed their impenetrable defence, and equally unstoppable offence.

Hawks’ #7 took a major intercept and ran up the field to score the team’s second try, his placement allowing #6 to make the conversion.

Hawks’ #7 rounded Mallabula’s defenders again, moments later, to ground another try, and the Hawks’ defence was so strong as to deny Mallabula nary a metre past the halfway line throughout the first half.

A quick game, it seems, is a good game, as Hawks’ #13 grounded the team’s fourth try early in the shortened second half.

Mallabula heaved back, only to be yanked over the sideline by Hawks’ tacklers.

As Hawks’ #12 batted defenders out of the way to bring the ball back to 20 metres out, a fifth Hawks try came for #5, even celebrating with a little victory dance.

The Hawks’ sixth and final try came for #6, courtesy of solid teamwork and a grounding right between the posts, setting up #8 for a successful conversion.

At one minute left, Mallabula made a final, valiant effort to score, but were denied as the Hawks’ defence held fast until the final buzzer, Full-Time Score: 30-0.

By Thomas O’KEEFE