"It's probably lucky I've got no hair, I would have been pulling it out."
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Brett Jarrett's response to the Dungowan Cowboys' performance against the Gunnedah Bulldogs was equal parts funny and telling.
The Cowboys forward and coach knew full-well that they had just pulled off a great escape, having spent most of the match making error after error.
"It's just a bit frustrating," Jarrett said.
"We started okay and then made too many errors that compounded and gave Gunnedah way too much ball, and let them back into the game."
After sprinting out to a 12-0 lead, penalties constantly hampered Dungowan, and the visiting Bulldogs were all too happy to take advantage.
The Cowboys went scoreless for the remainder of the first half, and while Gunnedah only scored the lone try in the first term, the momentum had undoubtedly swung.
The traffic went almost entirely the Bulldogs' way in the second half, which may have worked to their detriment in the final 15 minutes.
By the time the score had reached 12-12, Gunnedah captain Linc Smith elected to take a shot at goal after being awarded a penalty about 30 metres out and almost dead in front of the posts.
Dylan O'Brien's aim was true, and a few minutes later the same opportunity arose, and Smith elected for another penalty goal to go up 16-12.
That was when Mitch Doring stepped up for Dungowan The star five-eighth broke through for the Cowboys' first try in roughly an hour to give them back the lead.
But that was not the end of the tale, as Gunnedah received yet another penalty with seven minutes remaining, and again Smith opted for a shot at goal.
The scores were tied at 18-18, until Dungowan were themselves given a penalty in front of the sticks with a minute on the clock and, in the ultimate irony, clinched the game with a goal.
"We talked about it earlier that we just wanted to get the points on the board," Smith said post-game.
"We were neck-and-neck with them, and thought that two points would've got us in front every time. But in the end, we should've just gone with the two [shots on goal], not the three.
"But you live and you learn."
After a dominant 66-6 victory in the opening round, Jarrett expects scraping through against a relentless Gunnedah outfit today will prove to be a "wake-up call".
"Although we still won, that probably sugarcoats it a little bit," he said.
"Everyone's aware of what the issue was, that we made too many errors and put ourselves under pressure."
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