Narrabri Blues "won ugly" when they consigned the Werris Creek Magpies to their second loss of the Group 4 first grade season at David Taylor Park on Sunday.
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Narrabri scored five tries to three to win their round two clash 26-16 and continue their winning start to the season.
The Blues led 12-10 at halftime after two tries from winger Harry Pattison set them on their winning way.
The first was courtesy of a wide pass from Blake Hilderson and the second a 90m intercept the right winger took deep in defence.
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Tyren Cloake and a wonderful individual effort from Harlee Millgate gave the Magpies hope for a big second half but it was the Blues who struck first.
Daniel Howe shrugged off five defenders to squirm his way over just five minutes into the second half and three minutes later the Blues took a stranglehold when a dropped bomb allowed the Blues hooker Jacob Nichols to score and make it 22-10.
The home side did rally and co-coach Cody Tickle started a move where Pat Hanrahan's good pass allowed young centre Riley Leonard to crash over.
At 22-16 the Magpies were roaring home and were unlucky not to score when Bryce Daniels was held up over the line after Tickle's wide pass sent right winger Cloake sprinting up field.
He veered inside and passed to hooker Zac Leonard, who kicked ahead. Daniels regathered but couldn't get the ball down due to some desperate Blues defence.
Narrabri secured the game in the final minute when Jacob Nichols dived over for his second try of the day.
"We won ugly," Narrabri captain-coach Jake Rumsby said.
"We lost three or four from our side at training the other night and the boys showed a lot of heart today."
Rumsby lost right centre Sandy Sadler at the midweek training session so he tasked Howe to play there in his place.
"He didn't let me down," Rumsby said.
"He did a great job for us. Jobbo (Daniel Jobson) was massive for us too. It was another good, physical game too.
"We've had a good start to the season (two wins from two games)."
While Narrabri has two wins from two games the Werris Creek Magpies have lost both opening games and both have been at home.
They don't play at home until June now starting with Dungowan at Dungowan this Saturday and had their chances to storm home against the Blues.
"We had a pretty good start and I thought we were impressive against a strong, tough pack," Tickle said.
"We found a way to turn the game but we just couldn't finish it off late."
He said the Magpies will welcome back "four or five of our best" in the coming few weeks to give the side a boost.
Tickle was outstanding at times, saving two tries with outstanding tackles and crashed the ball up at pace at times while also running and playing wide.
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