North Tamworth Bears down Dungowan Cowboys 20-12

A top-of-the-table encounter featuring sides on long winning streaks.

The victor gaining a psychological advantage in the shadow of the finals.

A large crowd on hand on an temperate winter's day in which the sun felt lovely on the face.

A veteran second-rower, in Josh Schmiedel, steaming on to halfback Mitch Sheridan's inside ball close to the Cowboys' tryline in the 39th minute to leave the Bears trailing 12-6 at half-time.

The stage set for a cracking second half and a salivating matchup's promise to become reality - an expectation that faded away.

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The table-topping Bears crossed for three second-half tries to extend their winning sequence to nines games, three games out from the finals, while Dungowan's 10-match winning run was snapped.

Despite the scoreline, it was a surprisingly flat contest in which both sides' offence was muted; it's hard to recall a single line break.

Dungowan fired blanks offensively in the second half, and rarely had Norths under pressure, although they started the match promisingly:

In the 10th minute, Cowboys No 1 Trent Taylor chip-kicked around halfway and No 5 Liam Mack scooped it up on the fly and then found Taylor with an inside pass.

But that was the visitors' offensive high point for the match.

In the 34th minute, Dungowan No 7 Matt Wilson's grubber pinballed on the Bears' tryline and he regathered to cross out wide. Taylor again added the extras: 12-0 Cowboys.

North Tamworth are great at finding a try when they need one, and that's what happened when Schmiedel scored just before the break. Sheridan converted: 12-6 Cowboys at half-time.

It was all square when Bears No 9 Scott Blanch scored a soft close-range try in the 47th minute and Sheridan converted.

Ten minutes later, Norths took the lead when veteran centre Jared Edwards crossed after winger Ashton Constable slipped him a good ball on the Cowboys' tryline.

The match-sealer came in the 74th minute after Edwards hit Schmiedel with a long ball attacking the Cowboys' tryline.

Bears coach Paul Boyce said Dungowan were "a great side" who "really stuck it" to his charges in the first half.

"Once we got on to the front foot, we sort of got Blanchy [Scott Blanch] back into the game," he said. "We dug deep. We've dug deep every week."

NORTH TAMWORTH 20 (Josh Schmiedel 2, Scott Blanch, Jared Edwards tries; Mitch Sheridan 2 goals) d DUNGOWAN 12 (Trent Taylor, Matt Wilson tries; Taylor 2 goals)

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