Sam Taylor has kicked plenty of field goals over the years, but none as sweetly as the 45m one he launched with just 13 seconds left on the Kitchener Park scoreboard clock to earn Kootingal-Moonbi a two-point win over Gunnedah and a home Group 4 minor semi-final.
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The left footed Rooster playmaker couldn't have struck the long range attempt any better for it to sail between the posts and end the crucial match in stunning fashion.
The two-point field goal lifted the Roosters from a 22-all deadlock against a brave and determined Bulldogs, and into a home semi against Moree this Saturday.
Taylor was an elated halfback after the game.
He's kicked plenty of field goals before but "never one as sweet as that", he told Group 4 Media after the game.
"Never kicked one anywhere near that distance (45m)," he said.
"Just hit it sweet."
It was a brilliant finish for the Roosters in a game that looked like it would go to extra time before Taylor opted for the field goal attempt and not a midfield bomb.
"We knew Gunnedah were going to be tough, they always are at home," Taylor said.
"I thought we were good in defence, slowed them down at the play the ball but we've got to be better next week," he said of Saturday's impending knockout semi against Moree at home.
Roosters coach Geoff Sharpe had nothing but praise for a Gunnedah side that was well out of semi-final contention.
"They are a good side and gave as hard as they got," he said.
"I thought Pleff (referee Stephen Pleffer) did a good job and let the game flow too."
Gunnedah had led early after Trent Hilton's initial run splintered the Rooster defence and enabled Paul Sharpley to score the first of his two tries.
Kooty hit back though and raced to a 12-6 lead after Chris Vidler blasted through the Bulldog defence and Logan Howard scored the first of his two tries.
Sharpley's second was followed quickly by a Hilton touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 16-12 lead before Taylor engineered Howard's second just before half time.
The Roosters increased that 18-16 halftime lead to 22-16 with a try to Johnny Seabrook after nine minutes of the second half but KC Edmonds' brilliant try 14 minutes later levelled the scores at 22-all.
Three times the Bulldogs marched into the Roosters 20m to lay the platform for a match-winning score but all three times they came up with mistakes to hand the ball back and give the Roosters their one last chance in the final minute.
While Taylor stepped up to produce a career-best field goal his teammates stepped up in defence as well.
"It was a real big effort," Sharpe said.
"To stop them in that last 20 minutes. It was sensational, a great game."
He had praise for all his side especially Vidler, Jackson Brookman, Josh Kevill and Howard.
Captain Ben Williams was "huge", he added, while Lachlan Faint "gave me a good 20 minutes" before regular hooker Kurt Hartmann returned from a COVID lay-off.
"It was only Lockie's (Faint) third first grade game," Sharpe pointed out.
"They are a good side Gunnedah. If they'd have played like that all year who knows where they would be."
