Dungowan v North Tamworth: Cowboys pull off upset of the year

The Cowboys weathered a concerted Bears avalanche late in the game and clung to their hard-won advantage for a crucial win.

Dungowan had led 12-4 at half-time thanks to two tries by winger Blair Maloney and a try by winger Liam Mack, before backrower Livinai Tuicakau broke through to score a minute from the break and give the Bears a welcome bridgehead.

And when Scott Blanch scored six minutes into the second half, it looked like the Bears might be taking control as they trailed 12-10.

But the Cowboys responded well and when a grubber from five-eighth Ethan Antzakles rebounded into centre Brandon Parry's hands, the Cowboy back sliced his way over for a fourth Cowboys four-pointer.

Trent Taylor converted and they led 18-10.

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However, the Bears launched an offensive that resulted in five-eighth Ethan Collins, playing against his old club, dashing over to claw the visitors to within four points at 18-14 and make the final 14 minutes a nervous time for the Cowboys.

It felt as if the Bears might just overrun them late - with Blanch, Kobe Bone, Jake McManus and Mitch Sheridan all working hard.

The Cowboys toughened up, though, and their defence became desperate and smothering.

Norths looked certain of scoring a number of times.

Josh Schmiedel and Bone were both held up over the line and then prop Tevita Cegunaivalu was pulled down a metre short of the line.

And then James Cooper offloaded what might have been the winning pass to an outside attacker, only for the pass to be batted down by a Cowboy.

And with just over a minute left, Cowboys backrower Brett Jarrett, one of the best, was sin-binned for holding down in a desperate tackle five metres out from Dungowan's tryline.

Down to 12 men, the Cowboys still found a way to hang on.

"That was massive," Dungowan co-coach Luke Taylor said. "They (Norths) are the pinnacle of the comp so to beat them like that is massive for us.

"We just know we've got a real good bunch of boys. They are tough as nails. (They) might lack a bit of size, and that makes it hard.

"That was one of the toughest wins I've seen out here, though. Hopefully we've turned the corner.

"We've put a couple of good wins together now and have another tough one against Moree next week."

North Tamworth coach Paul Boyce credited Dungowan for their resilience but thought his side made "too many mistakes in the first half".

"I think we only completed two or three sets in the first half," he said. "But the positive thing was we were still in the game and we were still able to win it."

DUNGOWAN 18 (Blair Maloney 2, Brandon Parry, Liam Mack tries; Trent Taylor goal) d NORTH TAMWORTH 14 (Livinai Tuicakau, Scott Blanch, Ethan Collins tries; Adrian Graham goal). Group 4 best and fairest: 3 Brett Jarrett (D), 2 Tevita Peceli (D), 1 Kobe Bone (NT).

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