The Denman Devils claimed bragging rights over the Muswellbrook Rams following their 40-28 victory in Bengalla Hunter Valley Group 21 Rugby League at the weekend.
With Liam Boney, Brady Benkovic, Mac Shepherdson and Luke Melross leading the way, the Devils went to the break ahead 22-12.
They then lifted a gear in the second period to go on with the job.
For the Rams, it’s back to the drawing board as they search for an elusive victory.
At Scone Park, the Thoroughbreds enjoyed a red-letter day at the expense of the Aberdeen Tigers, winning all four matches, including the main fixture 24-16.
With local youngsters Sam Fechner (Scone) and Jayke Claydon (Aberdeen) making their respective senior debuts, it was the visitors who drew first blood.
Josh Moffitt sprinted 20m to touch down near the uprights for a 4-0 lead.
Scone hit back, via a converted try to Hayden Topliss, to hit the front 6-4.
The Thoroughbred then took advantage of a one-man overlap, due to Dave Murnane’s sin-binning, to surge ahead 18-4 via Ryan Hawkshaw and Jake Watts.
Another score, to Jake Collison, right on half-time lifted Scone to 24-4.
That’s when the game took a massive U-turn.
The Tigers held their rivals, the reigning premiers, scoreless over the final 40 minutes.
Aberdeen reduced the deficit to 24-10 when Harry Douglass backed up a break from Cameron French.
Jayden Harshman then gave the Tigers some hope when he dived over, which Douglass converted for 24-16.
The away team went close to crossing the tryline again, but the Thoroughbreds’ defence denied him just centimetres short.
The Singleton Greyhounds, meanwhile, enjoyed a bye.
In Monarch blues tag fixtures, the Murrurundi Mavettes handed out a lesson to the Devils 58-0, the Thoroughbreds proved too good for the Tigers 38-16, and the Greyhounds stunned the Merriwa Magpies 22-8.
There will be no competition over the June long weekend.
Bengalla Hunter Valley Group 21 Rugby League
Round six results:
First grade –
Denman Devils defeated Muswellbrook Rams 40-28
Scone Thoroughbreds defeated Aberdeen Tigers 24-16
Bye: Singleton Greyhounds
Reserve grade –
Merriwa Magpies defeated Muswellbrook Rams 60-0
Murrurundi Mavericks defeated Denman Devils 32-12
Scone Thoroughbreds defeated Aberdeen Tigers 24-22
Greta Branxton Colts defeated Singleton Greyhounds 26-24
Under-18s –
Scone Thoroughbreds defeated Aberdeen Tigers 8-4
Tigers Cup –
Singleton Greyhounds defeated Kootingal-Moonbi 26-10
Monarch blues tag –
Murrurundi Mavettes defeated Denman Devils 58-0
Scone Thoroughbreds defeated Aberdeen Tigers 38-16
Singleton Greyhounds defeated Merriwa Magpies 22-8
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