With the Bulldogs trailing 28-26, winger Nic Altmann scored in the corner with 10 seconds left on the clock.

Altmann's try came after Gunnedah created an overlap. 

It was his second try of the match, while Gunnedah lock Hayden Smith crossed for three tries in a display that pleased Bulldogs coach Sean Hayne.

“They [Narrabri] were pretty good,” Hayne said. “It was a pretty physical game and a good hitout for us after having the three weekends off.”

He added: “We’ve still got a few areas to work on and have to fix up if we want to compete with the top two teams [the Roosters and the Bears].”

Smith – voted the Bulldogs’ players’ player – was “strong in the middle”, Hayne said.

KC Edmonds also shone and received the three North West Farm Machinery AGCO best and fairest points.

“KC had a big game,” Hayne said. “[He] played the full 80 minutes in the front and back-row with a lot of hit ups on the edge.

“It comes in handy when you have a forward that can play 80 minutes. We were pretty good up the middle too.”

Bulldogs hooker and captain Callum Hayne also excelled and was good out of dummy half, with his darting runs behind the Blues’ forwards setting up plenty of attacking plays and putting the Bulldogs on the front foot.

Narrabri coach Wayne Saunders described the loss as heartbreaking.

“We were down to 12 men, had one in the bin,” he said. “Just couldn’t hold them out.”

The Blues had close to the best side they’ve fielded all season and gave their supporters plenty of hope throughout the match.

“We just made some bad mistakes at unbelievable positions,” Saunders said. “[We] turned the ball over. Can’t complain, though. 

“The effort was there. I was very proud of the way the boys played. It was enormous and completely different to what we dished up at Kooty [in a 78-6 loss].”

“Gunnedah is a top-three side too. But I know if we can get our full team on the park, we can worry any side.”

He was delighted to have captain Lachlan Cameron back from injury and performing strongly, while Les Boney also impressed along with Jake Rumsby, Jake Nichols and Blake Hilderson.

“Blake is a five-eighth who I moved to the centres and then the wing,” Saunders said.

“I thought he was really good for us – had to take some hard carries up. But while he might be playing out of position, he puts his hand up for us every week. He wants to play first grade.”

Gunnedah 30 (H Smith 3, N Altmann 2, D Lake tries, D Smith 3 goals) d Narrabri 28 (B Cochrane 2, J Smith, B Jenkins, J Hogg tries, B Hilderson 4 goals)

Best and fairest: Edmonds three points, Boney, two points, Hayne, one point.