A double send-off in the dying minutes of Friday’s clash between the Super Spuds and Armidale Rams soured what was an otherwise successful return of senior rugby league to Guyra.
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The Super Spuds and the Rams will compete in separate divisions – Guyra in second and Armidale in first – but gathered at the Sports Complex at the top of the hill for a pre-season trial.
While it was a trial, pride was at stake as the rivalry between the two clubs was re-ignited in the lead up to the Potato-Pie Challenge.
The league tag began the double header with two late tries to Armidale sealing a 20-12 win for the visitors.
The opening collisions of the men’s game were brutal and young Armidale halfback Tyler Carson felt the full effect with a neck injury in the second minute.
Without their playmaker Armidale re-gathered but it was the hosts who crossed first through captain-coach Dan Vidler.
A risky grubber kick early in the Rams’ tackle count on the Guyra line paid off as they hit back with a four-pointer to level the scores at half-time. DJ Patterson put the Super Spuds back in front 10-4 which stayed the case for the remainder of the game.
Guyra’s Mone Aho was sent from the field by referee Craig Smith two minutes from full-time after a high shot on an Armidale player and Vidler followed shortly after, much to the disappointment of a very vocal crowd.
Super Spuds secretary Mick Shiner said while the send-offs put a downer on the clash, the club were happy with the start to their season.
“Very, very happy with the crowd. Not happy with the incident with the young bloke [Carson] from Armidale. Very unhappy with the two players being sent off,” he said.
“There was a lot of positive stuff to come out of it.
“I just thought it would be the normal, tough Guyra team and they probably showed more than that I am happy with it.
“We were lucky, we didn't get too many injuries.
“A few of them hadn't played in a while and the competitive juices got going and they came out pretty fired up.
“It was a hard game, it was brutal really.
“I think the game was played really, really hard and I take my hat off to Armidale because they re-grouped and came back pretty hard at Guyra too.
“The conditions weren't great, they were wet so it was a bit raggedy with dropped ball but all-in-all the game as a spectacle was pretty good.”
Guyra’s season begins on April 7 with a trip to Tenterfield while Armidale have a bye.
The Super Spuds’ first home game will be in the second round on April 14 against Uralla.