NARRABRI’S forwards concocted another escape at Tamworth Rugby Park on Saturday as they and Tamworth kept their home finals hopes alive.
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The Blue Boars were given a fright but were just a bit too good in the end, getting home 40-30.
As they have been in their close tussles this season, the forwards again powered them to victory, with second-rower Henry Curtin, in his first game back from injury, and number eight Sam Clements both crashing over for doubles.
Blue Boars coach Hunter Harley was again commending his side for the way they ground it out.
And they had to.
The Magpies really took it to them and, but for their inability to kick a goal, could have finished closer.
It was a see-sawing tussle all day.
The Blue Boars opened the scoring, with Curtin picking and driving his way over.
From there, the two sides traded points and the lead, Clements’ second in the final few minutes of the half putting the visitors up by two at the break.
Skipper Matt Schwager extended that to five a couple of minutes into the second half.
When Magpies skipper Harry Veitch was yellow-carded minutes later for a lifting tackle and Beau Brummell crashed over to push the Blue Boars 10 ahead, it looked like they might pull away.
But a spectacular 50m effort from the home side brought them right back into it.
It was typical of the type of broken attack the Magpies have been so good at this season.
Fullback Pat Strong instigated it, running a kick back at the Blue Boars defence, and slicing through before linking up with Scott Blanch who, despite wearing two Blue Boars defenders, was able to slip the ball away to an unmarked Lewyn Rapana.
Blanch was in the thick of things again minutes later, this time running onto an offload from second-rower Simon Vumilagi and kicking through into space.
Schwager managed to get back and save the day for the Blue Boars but the Magpies swarmed and earned the penalty.
After a good win from the lineout, Jack Barker drove his way over to tie the scores up at 30-all.
Schwager edged the Blue Boars back in front with his third penalty to wrest back the momentum and, as the forwards really started to take control, Curtin ducked over for his second to all but seal it for them.
“It wasn’t our best performance,” Harley said.
“But we’ll take lot of positives out of it.
“We found a way to win, which is what the good teams do.”
He admitted though he was a bit worried.
“Probably when they put points on us a player down,” he said.
“I thought ‘what are they going to do when Vietchy comes back on’.”
It was oh so close for the Magpies both to the win, and a home semi-final, but hidden beneath the disappointment there was a sense of pride.
“While we are all disappointed, we’re pleased,” co-coach Mark Daley said.
They’ve shown they can more than match it with the top sides.
“In the end it came down to some missed tackles and pretty soft tries,” he said.
“That’s what got them back into it.”
The Blue Boars also probably retained the ball better in the second half.
Tamworth are still a chance to host the minor semi-final, and will be hoping Gunnedah can roll Pirates or at least not let them get a four-try bonus point or win by more than eight.
