Coonabarabran Unicorns edged out the Narromine Jets in Round Four action of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League played at Narromine’s Cale Oval last Saturday.
Spectators were treated to 14 tries being scored in what was an enthralling game with both sides crossing seven times.
Unicorns back-rower Jordan Baker dominated the scoring after going over four times, whilst the Jets captain/coach and five-eighth Corey Cox led the way with three of his own.
In the end, it was goalkicking that separated the two teams, the final result being a 40-34 win to the visitors to have them equal second with Dunedoo Swans.
The Swans were too strong for the visiting Gulgong Terriers winning 50-10, whilst at Coonamble the Bears were similarly too strong for the Baradine Magpies, taking the game 62-0 with their winger Jarran Welsh notching five tries in an outstanding display.
Playing at Gilgandra, the undefeated Cobar Roosters got off to a flyer, with their front rower Tim Hillam leaping high to grab a well-placed bomb and land in the in-goal area for a try in the opening two minutes.
The next 20 minutes saw the Panthers throwing the ball around in fine style and looking very likely to puncture the Roosters defence until a loose pass out wide was scooped up by Roosters winger Jaxon Burke who raced away to run 70 metres to score unopposed.
Burke was in again just two minutes later when quick hands gave him a free run to the line and that try took the sting out of the Gilgandra attack.
The Roosters led 22-nil at half-time, with Burke having scored three of their four tries in the opening forty minutes.
He was to go on and grab another as the Roosters totally dominated the second half running in six tries to one to take the game to the tune of 54-4.
It was a good day for the Chookies, as they also won the Youth League (28-18) and Reserve Grade (20-18) as well as an 8-all draw in League Tag.
After two weeks on the road the Roosters will enjoy a home game this Saturday where they will welcome the Gulgong Bull Terriers to Tom Knight Memorial Oval.
The Swans will feature in the Match of the Round, when they take the short journey to Coolah to take on the Kangaroos. They might fancy their chances of returning home with not only the Boronia Challenge Cup from the first grade encounter but also the Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup which will be played for in what will be a high standard League Tag game.
Narromine Jets and Coonamble Bears also presents itself as an interesting match, with both sides travelling nicely. The Jets have lost a couple of games by narrow margins while the youthful Bears team are proving to be a handful for opposition teams this season.
It has been a tough start to the year for both Warren Bulldogs and Gilgandra Panthers and the two sides will be desperate to get the win when they meet up at Warren.
It has also been a tough start for Baradine Magpies, and it doesn’t appear as if it things are going get much easier for them this Saturday when they clash with the high-flying Coonabarabran Unicorns in a local derby to be played at Coonabarabran.
Click here for all Christie and Hood Castlereagh League results.
