RUGBY LEAGUE
A field goal in the final minute gave Magpies the first grade win over Dubbo CYMS in a thrilling game before a big home crowd in Round 5 of the Peter McDonald Premiership.
Scores were locked at 18-all with the clock ticking down at Spooner Oval on Sunday before the host side was awarded a penalty that put them in the right place for Nick Greenhalgh to kick the one-pointer to take the two points.
The captain was delighted to give the home crowd a reason to cheer.
The Fishies ran in two early tries to have a 12-nil lead just 10 minutes into the fixture, Magpies fighting back over the next 20 minutes to level the scores.
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But the visitors scored again right before half time to head to the sheds with an 18-12 lead they maintained well into the second half.
It was Jack Smith who broke the deadlock with a try under the posts to see the scores once again levelled.
Greenhalgh was very happy with the win against the side he describes as the benchmark in a tough competition.
Magpies had suffered their first defeat of the season in Round 4, downed by a red-hot Cowboys team on fire before their own home crowd off the back of their own defeat by Dubbo CYMS.
“It was good for us to bounce back,” Greenhalgh said.
“We spoke about fixing a few things, worked on a few things at training.
“It was a big occasion, a big crowd playing at home – everyone got behind us.”
The early deficit wasn’t ideal, but Greenhalgh was pleased with the way his side stayed in the grind and recovered.
It gives Magpies four wins from five this season, pleasing for a side that was the talk of the pre-season for the returning players and recruits all now working together.
“We’ve still got a long way to go but we needed two points yesterday and we got them,” Greenhalgh said.
“And they’re probably the benchmark so it was nice to know that we can beat them.”
Hooker Hayden Bolam had a huge game, brilliant in attack and doing a mountain of work in defence.
“Jack Hartwig also had a big game: he got through a mountain of work,” his captain said.
“He’s been one of our best forwards, as well as Nick Booth
“Those boys really played really well.”
Magpies back up with another home game this Sunday to Bathurst St Pat’s and they’ll be looking to continue to build momentum for the long weekend derby with Parkes Spacemen.
No doubt Parkes will be looking to get their own back after Forbes dominated the two clubs' Round 1 meeting on Magpies' turf.
