INVERELL produced some of their best football of the season to upset Moree 29-26 at Weebolla Oval on Saturday.
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Highlanders co-coach Simon Clarke said their first 20 minutes was probably the best they've played all year.
All their passes stuck, and through that they were able to assert a lot of pressure on the Bulls.
Clarke admitted he did have a little doubt when their early pressure came to nothing, but eventually the Bulls’ defence cracked and they ran in a couple of tries.
“Moree got more desperate for the ball and really stepped up in the second stages of the first half,” Clarke said.
The home side dragged their way back to 14-all at the break.
“We let them in for a late try in the first half, which I was hoping would not happen,” Clarke said.
“I just said to the boys at half-time if we don't lift our urgency they'll end up blowing us away.”
He said the Bulls started the second half well, but they kept their mettle over what was a see-sawing 40 minutes.
Simon Clarke kicked the Highlanders out to 22-21 with about 10 minutes to go.
“They got a try, but then we got a try straight after,” Clarke said.
But the Bulls kept coming.
“Right up to the last couple of minutes they were attacking our line,” Clarke said.
In what proved a match-winning play, Luther Robinson was able to wrap his hands around the ball as the Bulls launched a rolling maul from a lineout about 5m out and earn the Highlanders the scrum feed.
“I'm so proud of the boys,” Clarke said.
“It's a big feat to be able to come over and beat Moree.”
They also hadn't beaten a top tier side.
The win was extra sweet after the Bulls had snatched the points from them in the last few minutes in the corresponding game in the first round.
“The best thing I can see come out of today's win is we minimised our mistakes, and kept to our structure, and showed good resolve,” Clarke said.
Winger Simon Clarke and centre Josh Phillips both scored doubles, and were among Inverell's best, along with Robinson, who was “in everything”.
It was for the Bulls their third loss for the second round.
“We just made some fundamental errors, we dropped the ball at key times and couldn't get out of our own half for the first 35 minutes,” captain Ben Carrigan said.
