Quirindi remain the frontrunners to finish on top of Tier 2 and claim the remaining finals spot after picking up the five points courtesy of the bye but the Magpies and Barraba are right there behind them after toughing out wins.

The Rams overcame Scone 31-22 after there was only two points in it with about 10 minutes to go, while the Magpies produced a late burst to overrun Gunnedah 28-9.

The final scoreline doesn’t really illustrate how tight the game was with the Red Devils leading 9-nil early into the second half, and the Magpies scoring their last try a minute after the bell.

Barely on the field for a minute, Charles Sherwood, snuck over to secure what could be an important bonus point for the Magpies.

Only a couple of minutes earlier Magpies prop Rory Marshman had freakishly toed the ball through, after a horrendous clearing kick from the Red Devils, and won the race to the line to seal the win. Up until then it was anybodies game.

The Magpies had to play out the last 10 minutes with 14 after Kieren McHugh was sin-binned for repeated team infringements, and survived a promising assault from the Red Devils from the ensuing penalty after the visitors coughed up the ball. Tom Anderson then got up in front to pilfer a Red Devils lineout about 40m out.