Boggabri Kangaroos record back-to-back wins over Gunnedah Bulldogs

At Kitchener Park on Sunday afternoon, where they ended the long winning drought on June 26 last year, Boggabri notched back-to-back victories over their neighbours.

The 32-28 triumph was the Kangaroos' fifth win of the season, and moved them above Narrabri into fifth spot heading into the second half of the competition.

To consign seventh-placed Gunnedah to their sixth loss of 2022, Boggabri erased a 22-12 half-time deficit - with interest - after three tries in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

And it was one of the form players of the competition, No 3 Robert Doolan, who ignited the match-winning surge when, in the 45th minute, he showed real explosiveness to score from inside Gunnedah's 20m zone.

In the 69th minute, he steamed on to a lovely short ball from No 16 Ash White off a scrum attacking the tryline, then converted from in front to make it 32-22.

A piece of individual brilliance by Bulldogs No 7 Dylan Lake - in which a jinking run close to the Roos' tryline was followed by a one-handed lung to score - made the final six minutes interesting.

But it was fair that Boggabri won, given their overwhelming second-half dominance.

Roos captain and No 9 Matt Gillham - who scored off a set play from a scrum in the 63rd minute that reduced Gunnedah's lead to 22-20 - said desperation drove his side to victory.

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"We knew we had to win this to keep in touch with the top sides," he said. "So, I think that [lit] the fire in the belly for the boys.

"So [we] really had to dig deep to get the win. And I think everyone did that well - they put that extra effort in."

Hard-running Roos centre Paula Dinauvoli also bagged a try double, as did Bulldogs No 1 Dylan O'Brien.

BOGGABRI 32 (Robert Doolan 2, Paula Dinauvoli 2, Nick Millar, Matt Gillham tries; Doolan 4 goals) d GUNNEDAH 28 (Dylan O'Brien 2, Dylan Lake, Aidan Davis, Johnathan Crowe tries; O'Brien 4 goals). Group 4 best and fairest: Cameron Kerr (B), 2 Kaylan Murray (B), 1 Nick White (G).

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