Werris Creek co-coach Ron Dellar knows enough about football and life to fully appreciate the entrance of good fortune.
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That’s what happened in the off-season, when four Millgate brothers – Harlee, Dwight, Cohal and Isaah – arrived at the club after leaving Bendemeer.
“When you get four blokes like that turn up at the gate and want to play football with ya, you don't tell them to go away,” Dellar said.
No.1 Harlee, No.6 Dwight and No.3 Isaah were key contributors in the Magpies’ thrilling 44-36 defeat of the Cowboys at Dungowan on Saturday, while Cohal came off the bench.
In a match of fluctuating fortunes, as Werris Creek dominated and then Dungowan rallied, it was a Harlee and Dwight special late in the clash that sealed the match for the visitors.
They were the final two pieces in a great team effort. Tackled and about to hit the ground about 10 metres out from the Cowboys’ tryline, Harlee fired what seemed to be an instinctual pass to an on-the-fly Dwight, who crossed for the try of the contest. It was Dwight’s second try of the game, in a man-of-the-match performance.
“They’ve probably done that in the backyard a hundred times,” Dellar said.
That try, and a four-pointer to replacement Jamie Bailey a few minutes earlier, secured the points for Werris Creek after Dungowan mounted a spirited fightback to lead 36-32.
The Cowboys took the lead when centre Jack Rumsby scored his third try of the match. The Cowboys led 24-16 at halftime, but in both halves they had to claw their way back into the match following Werris Creek surges.
Harlee and Isaah also scored. Harlee’s close-range try in the 50th minute made it 28-24 after halfback Scott Berry’s conversion.
Five minutes later, Isaah delivered a one-handed pass under intense pressure for winger Jermain Walford to cross in the right corner from close range.
It was the fourth-placed Magpies third win of the season, and their second in a row.
Post-match, Harlee touched on his motivation for leaving Bendemeer and how he didn’t regret the decision. “This is probably one of the best years I’ve had so far,” he said.
He said he left Bendemeer because “there was no consistency with training”.
“Where at Werris Creek they have players turn up every time we train,” he said, adding that the Magpies were a work in progress given the influx of new players into the side. “But we’ll get there,” he said.
Werris Creek 44 (D Millgate 2, H Millgate, I Millgate, T Brown, J Walford, C Tickle, J Bailey tries; S Berry 6 goals) d Dungowan 36 (J Rumsby 3, E Collins, C Manicaros, M Wilson, L Collins tries; J Crittenden 4 goals)
