FARRER will turn its attention to the Yates Shield after a heavy Waratah Shield semi-final loss to St Stanislaus College at Coolah’s Bowen Oval

yesterday.

Its run in the statewide competition was ended with a 41-10 loss to the Bathurst school, which was simply just too strong, although the scoreline did hide the fight Farrer put up.

“They were good – well-drilled, well-coached and the mistakes we made they exploited,” Farrer coach Mick Parker said.

But they were committed to the final whistle as evidenced by Sam Bowden’s late try.

Bowden was both the creator and finisher, forcing the ball down after putting a neat chip over the top.

Cameron Pyne added the conversion as the bell sounded to add to his earlier penalty.

That was Farrer’s first points after a first half where they missed two penalties, were constantly on the back foot in attack and had to do the bulk of the defending.

The effect of that told late in the first half as they committed simple errors and slipped off a few tackles.

But the damage was only a solitary try and they went into half-time trailing 13-nil.

Parker’s message at the break was to make their tackles and make them effective, and control their discipline, and the second half started favourably with Pyne’s penalty.

That was quickly countered by Stani’s, launching an impressive rolling maul at the line, but they were soon the ones making the tackles, with Farrer enjoying its best attacking period and having several promising, but unsuccessful, forays at the line.

Stani’s absorbed that pressure and turned it into points, running in three quick tries – the last from a comedy of errors with Farrer passing back inside its own goal, and hitting the post with the clearing kick – and away with the game.

Parker was overall reasonably happy but felt the soggy conditions underfoot didn’t really suit Farrer’s game, slowing the backline down.

“Our forwards today worked hard,” he said.

“Generally we matched them in the scrum, although their cleanout at the breakdown was more effective than ours and they turned over a bit of our ball,” he said.

He thought his side’s best were captain Tom Mellor, Gerard Dillon, Chris Chape and Lachlan Stewart, and was looking forward to next week’s Yates Shield quarter-final against John Paul College.

“Playing a side like that (Stani’s) should stand us in good stead,” he said.