SOUTHCITY captain-coach Nick Skinner found the perfect words after the Bulls overwhelmed Tumut 40-6 at Harris Park on Saturday.
On a day when Southcity made column of mistakes, but also savaged the battling Blues with eight tries, Skinner was prepared to concentrate on the positive aspects of the lopsided victory.
“It wasn’t overly pretty, not too pretty,” Skinner said.
“Still, it was good get a win.
“The effort was definitely there, even if the execution wasn’t always the best.”
After successive losses to Brothers and Albury, Southcity broke the spell by sweeping past Tumut in uninspiring style.
With Skinner and halfback Kyle McCarthy clearly the best two players on the park, the Bulls often made heavy work of burying the Blues.
A string of simple errors did nothing to help Southcity, although the Bulls still turned it on at times.
Skinner’s barnstorming charges, and skilful offloads, were a bright spot, while McCarthy was far and away the attacking general for the winners.
McCarthy’s deft kicking produced three tries – and he also slipped over for a try in the 30th minute off a gem of a pass from hooker Pani Manawatu.
Earlier McCarthy showed pinpoint accuracy with a grubber kick for Skinner to stroll over for a try in the 16th minute.
In the end, however, winger Jade Hodge was the main recipient of McCarthy’s right-foot magic.
Twice Hodge followed through on McCarthy kicks to score – but there was even more rewards for enthusiasm and speed to come.
Hitting a career high spot, Hodge bagged four tries in a golden performance.
The young winger got things started in the sixth minute when he finished off a left-hand sweep to score – and was also in the right position to snatch the final try in the 79th minute.
Flying fullback Jack Lyons made the bust up the middle of the ground, but Hodge flashed up beside up to finish it off in brilliant style.
For Skinner, the timely success has given him renewed faith before a showdown with Junee at Harris Park next Sunday.
Despite admitting Southcity will need to “play a bit better”, the skipper was adamant the Bulls would be ready for the Diesels.
Tumut were gutsy in defeat, but also made plenty of mistakes, handing Southcity easy possession.
Down 16-0 at half-time, the Blues fell 34-0 behind before replacement winger Blake Draber snatched their lone try in the 76th minute.
Full-time
SOUTHCITY 40 (J Hodge 4, J Lyons, K McCarthy, N Skinner, K Schauf tries; K McCarthy 3, N Rose goals) d TUMUT 6 (B Draber try; J Toppin goal)
