Their disappointment was palpable after they let slip a 12-point lead and a chance to play in the major semi-final.

The loss sees them fall 14 points behind second-placed Moree and with only three games to make it up.

Coach Andrew Verrell’s shaking head said it all after what was a frustrating second half for him to watch.

The root of their problems was, as has been the case most of the year, their error rate.

By his count they would have handed the ball over to the Blue Boars 10 times between their 40m and tryline.

“We lost our way in the second half,” Verrell said.

“Our decision-making was terrible at the set piece.

“Just bad options.”

It was there for them to win after playing well in the first half to lead 22-10 at half-time  but they couldn’t close it out.

“It’s a game sense issue,” he said.

“Part of it was to do with not having been tested the last few weeks with all due respect.”

While they got out of jail against Barraba, they racked up big scores against Quirindi and Scone.

“We just looked slow. We looked like we never had enough time to do it in,” Verrell said.

“That’s a legacy I think of the last couple of games and not having that pressure.”

They spent a lot of the second half trying to fight their way out of their territory.

“I don’t know how much ball we had in the second half,” Verrell said.

But it wouldn’t have been much.

It was a contrast to the first half where they played with good tempo and  put multiple phases together – basically doing everything Verrell asked them to do.

Well, apart from making sure of their restarts, which continues to be a problem.

Even in the second half after watching their lead pulled back from 12, to then seven to two, Verrell wasn’t panicking.

James Trappel’s sixth penalty gave them a bit more breathing space with 14 to go.

It came as some relief after looking under the pump but then, after turning the ball over as the Blue Boars inched towards the tryline, they messed up the clearance, giving the ball back to the Blue Boars in good territory.

Not long after they were pinged for a ruck infringement and from the lineout the Blue Boars scored to draw level.

They knew the Blue Boars would come at them through the middle and Verrell was pretty happy the way they defended that.

After scoring their first try, Jake Douglas was “in everything but a bath”.

Given a roaming commission by Verrell, he was a constant threat, and was his pick as their best.

Tim Collins also had a good game on the ball, he said.

Bart Leach was also good moving from hooker to prop.