A two week break from football and down on troops it was little wonder the Woodbridge ladies tackle side was slow out of the blocks in their first game since September 28 when they took on Lachlan in Forbes on Sunday.
Trailing early Woodbridge fought back with tries to the flying Taliah Williams, fullback Emilie Browne and Olivia Parrish to record a 18-10 win.
All three tries were converted by Charlotte Burling.
Lachlan’s points came from tries to Teagan Smeed and Hannah Demamiel, one of which was converted by Smede.
Already without NSW Country player of the year Alicia Earsman, Woodbridge are now without five-eighth Stacey Nobes for the remainder of the season.
“We were down 6-0, we didn’t complete our sets, turned the ball over and gave away field position,” Woodbridge coach Jack Nobes said after the match.
“It was a disappointing start but with two weeks off you can’t expect miracles."
In other senior matches last week Panorama defeated Vipers 32-12 and Goannas got home in a close encounter 24-20 against Cougars.
The weekend results see a congested competition ladder with Panorama, Vipers and Woodbridge all on eight points, two ahead of Goannas with just two rounds of the regular competition remaining.
“It’s a good spot to be in,” Nobes said.
“I still don’t think we’ve played to our full potential for enough of in our games.
“We’re just doing enough (to win), sometimes that is a good sign because when you hit your straps you are very dangerous.
“Hopefully that’s the case because there’s still a bit of improvement in the side.
“It’s just the little things we need to work on like completing sets, putting together a full 60 minutes and not just playing in patches.
“We were soft for the first 15 minutes against Lachlan, they were better than us and then we came back before coming out in the second half and doing the same thing.
“We just weren’t there for the first 10 minutes of the second half until they scored and nearly levelled up that all of a sudden the energy came back into the girls and they turned it around.
“If we could just put it together for 60 I’d be very happy,” Nobes said.
Woodbridge face Orange Vipers in their next match, this Saturday at Lawson Oval in Grenfell.
“They will be tough,” Nobes said of Saturday’s opponents.
In junior games last weekend Woodbridge Under 18s had a bye.
The under 16s suffered a nine tries to one 46-6 loss against Lachlan, with Woodbridge’s points coming from a try to Adison Newcombe converted by Halle Haines.
The under 14s pushed Lachlan all the way before going down 36-16. Try scorers for Woodbridge were Janarah Walford (3), Maddon Stones and Freya McCaffery. Walford converted three of her side’s five tries.
Woodbridge under 12s had a tough day against Lachlan suffering a 22-4 defeat, the side’s only points coming from an unconverted try to Billie Nelligan.