DUNGOWAN turned the tables on Barraba to come out on top of the two sides’ recent war of attrition and earn a Group 4 Second Division grand final berth.
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On the third clash in a month between the two sides at Barraba, Dungowan held the premiers scoreless in the second half to turn around an 18-10 half-time deficit and run out 38-18 preliminary final winners.
It was deja vu in the first half as Josh Steel crossed for the first of two tries that the Cowboys would score early, Brock Morgan scoring the other.
The home side was being made to play out of its own half but found a way to lead into the break.
Fullback Joey Latham scooped up a loose ball on halfway to run away and score, before Jock Mallise forced his way over on the left fringe.
Just before the halftime whistle, centre Kahlan Duncan, held together only by strapping tape, took an intercept as the Cowboys attacked the line and sprinted the length of the field to score another try against the run of play and take an 18-10 lead into the break.
Dungowan captain Matt Wilson said the side didn’t let the deficit at the break dampen their spirits.
“We knew we were on top,” Wilson said.
“They had scored two lucky tries.”
Up until that point the game looked similar to the past two encounters but the turning point came after the break.
A Cowboy drop-out was compounded by a shoulder charge, an off-side, and a hit off the ball to give Barraba four of five sets on the visitors’ line.
The Cowboys held out and held out until finally getting off the hook when a Tim Coombes ball to Adam Russell was ruled forward as Russell dived over.
The Cowboys motored straight downfield and, when Steel crossed for his second, the premiers’ spirit was broken.
With 20 minutes to go, Wilson’s ambitions were clear when he opted not to even the scores up at 18-16 with a penalty in front.
Instead he earned a repeat set with a knocked-on grubber, before trying again next set to find Lochie Brown flying through to place the ball just inside the dead ball line and take the lead 22-18.
It was all Dungowan after that as Lochie Collins bagged a deserved try, before Damien Pittman hammered the final nail in with five to go as the post-try celebration erupted into a scuffle behind the posts.
The Cowboys had finally beaten Barraba at home.
Collins’ speed around the ruck and Wilson’s direction was excellent but it was a win born on the shoulders of the Cowboys’ forward pack which played as a unit for 80 minutes.
“The belief was there this week,” Wilson said.
“There has been a good feeling around the club.
“But we have a lot of improving to do for next week.”
They will meet undefeated Kootingal Roosters in a local derby grand final at Kootingal.
Dungowan will also play in the league tag final against the Walcha Jillaroos at 1.30pm.