On a chilly afternoon at Woodville Oval on Saturday, a healthy crowd watched the seventh-placed home side make it three consecutive wins with a 32-22 defeat of the third-placed Bundarra Bears.

The Tigers’ fifth win of 2017, in the last round of the season’s first act, has catapulted them into the second half of the Group 4 Second Division season and further imbued them with the belief that this could be their year.

Uralla coach Brett Monley said the difference between the Tigers side who lost 52-6 to Kootingal-Moonbi three weeks ago and the current side was self-belief.

“I think they’re starting to believe in themselves,” he said. “We still have a lot of young blokes out there that are digging deep and learning about the game.

“It’s grade football. They’ve played juniors and they’ve come here with the men and it’s hard football to play.”

Uralla went into the match seven points behind competition leaders Kootingal-Moonbi, and Monley stated after the match that anything could happen if his side finished the season in the top four.

“I think we’ll come home strong in the second round,” he said. “I think we’ll give Walcha a run for their money here. We’re playing them next Friday night here … We’ve just got to get into the top four, and after that I’ll take it as it comes.”

The Tigers halves, Kearin Stiff and Jack Doran, orchestrated the hard-fought win over a Bundarra side who suffered only their third loss in 11 games and were coming off a 22-all draw against Walcha the previous week.

Doran, 21, who looks like a boy among men but plays with the heart of his club’s animal spirit, scored two tries including the match’s final touchdown – a sharp solo effort from about 15 metres out that put the result beyond doubt.

Stiff also crossed for two – one in each half like Doran.

Monley praised Doran and Stiff, as well as veteran prop Stephen Vanry.

“Our halves played well, I thought, and Stephen Vanry, our prop, played outstanding today,” Monley said. “One of our oldest blokes in the club and he’s led well.”

As the score suggests, there was not much between the teams. The Bears had their chances to win but, as Monley said, Uralla “dug deep” to finish the stronger after leading 18-12 at halftime.

There were no highlight-reel tries – mostly solid efforts from close range.

Doran, Stiff and replacement Brandon Thrift crossed for first half tries for the home side, while Bundarra’s first stanza four-pointers came from centre Jake David and lock James Deaves.

Stiff and Doran scored Uralla’s second half tries, with back-rower Josh Clark kicking six goals.

Bears captain-coach Luke Deaves and replacement Jake Deaves crossed in the second half.

Bundarra five-eighth Todd Cleal booted three goals.

Uralla 32 (K Stiff 2, J Doran 2, B Thrift tries; J Clark 6 goals) d Bundarra 22 (J David, L Deaves, James Deaves, Jake Deaves tries; T Cleal 3 goals)