Moree Boars beat Gunnedah Bulldogs in Group 4 clash

The Boars looked down and out when Dylan Lake kicked a 35-metre field goal with less than two and half minutes left on the clock to snare a 27-26 lead in a topsy turvy match.

The Bulldogs had led 12-4 early with props Lincon Smith and KC Edmonds dominant.

When Moree's Josh Cochrane was sin-binned eight minutes from half-time it looked like the Boars were in trouble.

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However, Brenton Cochrane took a hand, the brilliant pivot scoring from a little grubber kick off his left foot.

Cochrane then weaved some more magic to slice his way through the Gunnedah defences again and throw a low pass inside to supporting winger Silas Haines. Haines caught it on his toes as easy as pie and suddenly the Boars were ahead 14-12.

Cochrane's third piece of brilliance was to change the attack, heading back to the wide right side of the field, passing to captain-coach Ben Williams who then put Holt Cubis through a yawning gap. Three tries in five minutes and despite being one short they led 18-12 at the break.

Gunnedah had a brilliant playmaker of their own too. Aaron Donnelly was collared and Moree gave away a penalty in the tackle and Donnelly was quick to tap and run, racing over without a hand placed on him to tie up the game.

The Bulldogs then produced a brilliant scrum play of their own, a double run around that bamboozled the Boars and allowed skipper Reece Jaeger to dive over beside the posts.

Ahead 24-18, the Dogs couldn't stop young forward Mark Pegus from crashing over in the corner to reduce the deficit to two points and then Cochrane took another hand when he double pumped a pass to send Marshall Barker through a big gap out wide. While the Boars couldn't convert, kicking just one goal in seven attempts, the Barker try gave them a 26-24 lead.

And that's when it got really interesting.

The game also stopped for an injury. Cochrane copped a foot injury and had to be carried off. Many may have thought Moree's chances went with him, especially when the Boars were penalised almost in front and Jaeger stepped up to convert and tie the game up again.

A minute later, after the Bulldogs had waltzed up the field, Lake kicked a boomer of a field goal to claim a 27-26 lead.

The Bulldogs were in command but a dropped ball gave Moree a sniff. They had the ball but had to go 80 metres.

Enter halfback Michael Watton.

He had been the main organiser and controller sending the ball hither and thither to ball runners all day but he became the man, bursting onto a pass near halfway and two strides later chipping over the Bulldog defences. It bounced perfectly for Watton as he regathered.

However, he had it for just a second or so and kicked ahead again, this time a lower trajectory and in a fairy tale finish his cousin Jarvis Watton, who was on debut for the Boars, reached the ball first to score a memorable try.

The Moree supporters went berserk and the Boars revelled in a wave of euphoria.

Somehow they had won. 30-27.

Gunnedah coach Mick Schmiedel was demoralised, reckoning he must be a bad coach.

"We led 12-4 but they [his players] wanted to do their own things and got away from what had got us in front," he said.

"They had a man in the bin when we led 12-8 but they scored three tries in five minutes.

"It's frustrating. They don't want to do what I tell them. Might be no point in me travelling every week. We talk about doing the same things every week [and fixing them] but we keep on making those same mistakes."

He lamented the fact the last two weeks - losses to Narrabri and Moree - have now changed their season from playing in major semis at home to battling it out for fourth spot with Werris Creek, Boggabri, Dungowan and Moree.

"We had an opportunity to play but now we are in battle with those four sides to make the top four," Schmiedel said.

For Moree, captain-coach Williams was elated and celebrating with his young side ignited by the brilliance of his two 30-plus stars - Cochrane and - Watton.

"We wanted it more," he reckoned.

"We scored seven tries to their four, couldn't kick a goal but the effort was there. We also built on last week [34-16 loss to North Tamworth]. Had a new player in Jarvis [Watton] and he's going to be good for us too.

"Brenton is a freak. He gets better as he gets older. And Mick is starting to come into his own. He controlled the game well for us and produced what we needed."

Watton's piece of magic produced one of the most remarkable finishes to a Group 4 game that could define his side's season.

At age 36 he was fitter and faster than many of his opponents and teammates.

Hopefully Cochrane's foot injury isn't serious and he was confident he'd be right to play in the sheds after the long weekend general bye.

RESULTS

MOREE 30 (Ben Williams, Brenton Cochrane, Silas Haines, Holt Cubis Mark Pegus, Marshall Barker, Jarvis Watton tries, Mick Watton gl) d GUNNEDAH 27 (Dylan Lake, Aaron Donnelly, Lincon Smith, Reece Jaeger tries, Dylan O'Brien 4, Reece Jaeger gls, Dylan Lake fld gl) G4 B&F: 3 Hayden Wiblen (M), 2 Michael Watton (M), 1 Zak Turnbull (G).

Reserve grade: MOREE 34 (Brian Smith-Saunders 2, Adrian Smith 2, Adrian Hancock, Tyler Daley tries, Adrian Smith 5gls) d GUNNEDAH 30 (Thomas Randall 2, Will Maggs, Farran Lamb, Jared Heinrich, Tony Griffiths tries, Lamb 2, Johnathon Crowe gls) G4 B&F: 3 Alex Baker (M), 2 Dan Russell (G), 1 Brian Smith-Saunders (M).

Under 18: GUNNEDAH 42 (Braydon Talbot-Hatch 2, Matt Ross 2, Charlie Lawrence, Trent White, Hugh McArthur, Archer Harrison tries, Bailey Swain 5gls) d WERRIS CREEK 22 (Malik Hunt, Stevie Smith, Bailey Woolridge, Charlie Parsons tries, Riley Leonard 3gls) G4 B&F: 3 Riley Leonard (WC), 2 Joash Boney (G), 1 Braydon Talbot-Hatch (G).