Brett Jarrett leads Dungowan to 34-16 win over Kootingal-Moonbi

His sin-binning for apparent backchat midway through the first half - when the Cowboys trailed a surging Roosters 12-0 at Dungowan Recreation Reserve on Saturday - could easily have resulted in the lead ballooning fatally for the home side.

But instead, Dungowan knuckled down and began chipping away at Kootingal-Moonbi's confidence while boasting their own.

And then in the 30th minute, two in-form Cowboys - No 1 Trent Taylor and No 4 Brandon Parry - smoothly combined with fluid passing to send No 5 Liam Mack over out wide for the Cowboys' first try. Taylor missed the conversion: 12-4 Roosters.

Six minutes later, front-rower Jarrett, who had recently returned to the field, crashed over under the posts. Taylor converted. And with the Roosters leading 12-10 at the break, a tantalising second-half contest between two high-flying sides awaited.

In the end, however, Dungowan dominated the second stanza. And a large reason for that was Jarrett, the balding big man who tenderised the Roosters' middle with a continual offensive onslaught.

In the 62nd minute, the former Storm, Rabbitohs and Knights lower-grade player again muscled his way over the tryline. Taylor's conversion made 26-16 to Dungowan, who were now firmly in control.

And when Taylor slotted a penalty goal in the 70th minute, and then No 14 Zac Parker blasted through Kooty's goal-line defence two minutes later, the Cowboys led 34-16.

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In winning their sixth-straight match and the Pepperell Shield, the Cowboys moved two points clear of third-placed Kootingal-Moonbi.

North Tamworth remain atop the table, after a 70-10 mauling of the Tigers at Manilla on Saturday, while Dungowan remain in second place - equal on points with Norths.

Dungowan co-coach Luke Taylor said Jarrett was "a great leader" who received plenty of support against the Roosters. He was particularly impressed with the performances of No 10 Kieran Croft, No 7 Matt Wilson and No 16 Lochie Collins.

"Patty Lange, our little back-rower, was best on field again," Taylor added. "[He's] just a tireless worker, and had a massive workload again today."

Taylor said the flu went through the side ahead of the match. "So we were a bit clunky at the start [against Kooty]," he said, adding: "[The] same as most of our games this year, they toughed it out."

The Roosters opened the scoring in the 12th minute when menacing No 10 Jacko Brookman showed great strength to score from 10m out. No 7 Sam Taylor converted: 6-0 Roosters.

In the 16th minute, Roosters centre Kyle Cochrane took defenders over the tryline, and Taylor added the extras: 12-0 Roosters.

That was followed by Mack's try and Jarrett's first try.

Six minutes into the second half, Parry scooped up a Ethan Antzakles chip kick and scored under the posts, before Trent Taylor charged on to a pass inside Kooty's 20 and carried defenders over the line. He missed the conversion: 20-12 Cowboys.

In the 57th minute, No 3 Liam Hatch scooted over out wide for the Roosters' only points of the second half.

DUNGOWAN 34 (Brett Jarrett 2, Liam Mack, Brandon Parry, Trent Taylor, Zac Parker tries; Trent Taylor 5 goals) d KOOTINGAL-MOONBI 16 (Jacko Brookman, Kyle Cochrane, Liam Hatch tries; Sam Taylor 2 goals).

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