BENDEMEER coach Jake Reid has still got hopes of the Mountain Men making the top five as they prepare to entertain Dungowan this weekend.
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The Mountain Men matched it with the unbeaten Kootingal last weekend, just letting the game slip in the final moments.
Reid said a Mick Cooper try from a kick was disallowed and the side never recovered.
“That would have put us four in front with 12 left on the clock,” Reid said.
Kootingal put on two quick tries and ran away with the game 44-30.
“We have taken a lot of positives from the game,” Reid said.
“We don’t need to do anything different.”
“All we need is some consistency.”
The Cowboys will be coming into the game with plenty of confidence after defending their home turf two weeks in a row, including a gutsy win over premiers Barraba a fortnight ago.
Last week, Walcha limped away from the Dungowan Showground licking its wounds and is keen to bounce back this week when it goes to Boggabri.
Coach Peter Berry said it was very important that Walcha come home with the points.
Two tough losses against Kooty and then Dungowan have the Kangaroos down in the middle of the table.
The Roos need this win to consolidate their fourth place and stay ahead of Creek, who are two points behind them in fifth.
“We only just got round them in the first round and need to do it again,” Berry said.
“If we play like we did in the first half last week we will win.
“We will let our defence do the work.”
The coach thought a few lapses of concentration let them down last week.
He also wants the players to think a bit more expansively in attack.
“You can get a bit too simple sometimes,” Berry said.
“We have to look for those opportunities out wide and not always just bashing it up.”
Captain Troy Yarnold did come off the field last week with a stiff neck but will play.
Yarnold will join Jason Latham in the halves and the coach is looking to them to create those chances out wide.
“I think we need to win at least three of these last six games to make the finals,” Berry said.
“This is one of those three.”
The other game will see the winless Manilla Tigers hosting Werris Creek, while Barraba and Kootingal have the bye.