ORANGE High School’s Astley Cup campaign ended in despair yesterday as Bathurst High won the final tie by a miserly four points in Orange.

Bathurst took out the boys’ football yesterday afternoon 3-nil to secure the narrow win in the dead rubber.

Dubbo Senior College had already retained the Astley Cup last week so Orange and Bathurst were fighting for just school pride.

Orange held a 114-point lead after the first day of the tie but the second and final day belonged to Bathurst as they won two sports and split the points in the other two.

The two schools couldn’t be separated in athletics with both Orange and Bathurst finishing with 50 points.

It was in rugby league where Bathurst put a big dent in Orange’s lead with the visitors recording a 60-16 win to claim 79 points to the host’s 21.

An Elise Garlick goal saw Orange draw the girls football clash with Bathurst 1-all, with each school again receiving 50 points.

This saw Orange take a 56-point lead into the final event, the boys’ football, which was played at Orange High School.

Goals to Mitch Sweeney and James Hotham got Bathurst out to a match-winning lead but it was Reece Issa’s goal that gave the visitors the tie.

Orange High team co-ordinator Lynne Middleton said it was a tough way to lose the tie but it did not come down to just one goal in the boys’ football.

“The last goal that Bathurst scored sunk us,” she said.

“It is disappointing to have gone so close but it’s not just one or two sports, it’s the whole school.”

Orange were unable to win either of their ties this year but Middleton is optimistic about their chances next year with a large section of the current team remaining at the school next year.