New England Rugby: Walcha edge out Tamworth 25-24 to remain undefeated

Not quite to the extreme of 11 months ago (11 months and one day to be exact), but there was an eerie sense of dejavu to last years grand final as the Rams held the lead late in the contest only for a moment of brilliance from Tamworth's Jeremy York; the winger weaving his way past four Rams defenders on a 70m burst, getting them within a point with a conversion to come.

The kick was a tough one, and fortunately or unfortunately - depending on what side you were on - was out to the right and the Rams held on to take the win 25-24 and hand the Magpies their first defeat of the season.

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"It was right down to the wire there and luckily for once in a game we ended up on the right side of the scoreboard right on the bell," a relieved Rams skipper Sandy Cameron said.

The first meeting between the long-time Central North adversaries in three years, it was befitting of a top of the table clash - tough, uncompromising, tight and entertaining with both sides despite the conditions, although the rain did hold off until full-time, prepared to throw the ball around.

Neither though was really able to assert any dominance on the contest for any sustained period, the lead changing hands several times.

The Magpies led 14-12 at half-time, despite Charlie Keen scoring after the half-time hooter.

Keen kicked the Rams into lead early in the second half but the Magpies hit straight back, their bold decision to go for maximum points rather than take the penalty kick paying off when Russell Johnston drove his way over.

They were though unable to add the extras in somewhat bizarre circumstances with Tevita Pecili Lagimiri ruled to have taken too long to take the conversion.

Henry King put the Rams back in front, and when not long after Magpies centre Scott Blanch was given a red card and from the ensuing penalty Henry Leslie peeled off the back of the maul, the home side appeared to have done enough.

But, as they did earlier when they were undermanned (they lost a player to the bin in the first half) the Magpies rallied and ensured there was one more twist.

Cameron cut the figure post-match of a man that has been in a tough battle, which it was in the forwards.

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"There's quite a fair bit of size there and a lot of skill and talent and heart on their side," the second rower said.

"They were absolutely a cracking side and cracking forward pack, and their backs were fantastic too they spread it around and made plenty of metres."

He said in the first half they were a bit disjointed at times but they put it together better in the second half.

"We had a lot of opportunity in the first half with the wind, and this and that, and fresh legs and I think we wasted a lot of that," he said.

"We had to get up against the opposite of what we wanted in the second half but managed to get it together and get a bit of go forward."

Magpies coach Peter Burke was understandably disappointed but said they will take away a lot from their performance.

"We didn't know where we actually stood as far as their standard of football and we've walked away knowing we can match it," he said.

And another minute and "it could have been a different result."

"We now know what we need to work on and we'll put that into action over the next couple of weeks," he said.

One of those things is closing out a tight game.

"I thought at half-time we'd set the game up well enough to try and close it out in the second half," Burke said.

"I don't think we played field position well enough to be honest, we were too intent on the physical battle instead of field position. But that's just not playing it smart."

He was again really happy with the forwards, and for most of the game their defence, a bit of lapse late in the first half proved costly.