By Bryson Luff

The Narromine Jets recorded a thrilling win over the Coonabarabran Unicorns in the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League round 8 match of the day played at Narromine’s Cale Oval.

Going into the match the visitors were sitting in third place on the competition ladder, just one point in front of the Jets, however the blue and golds travelled home with the knowledge that the Jets had just leapfrogged them on the ladder, and now they were in fourth position one point adrift of the side that had just beaten them.

Like the one-point difference between the sides both before and after their game, it was also a one-point difference that separated the two teams when the fulltime siren sounded, the score being 29 to 28 in favour of the home side.

Obviously, the Unicorns would have been disappointed in the narrow loss and their subsequent relegation to fourth spot on the ladder, this being particularly so when they scored six tries to the Jet’s five during the match.

At Gilgandra the home side gave the unbeaten Coolah Kangaroos plenty to think about when they sent the visitors to the half time sheds trailing 7 to 6 on the scoreboard.

It is history that the ‘Roos went on to record a 28 to 11 win, but the Panthers made them work hard for every point. 

A field goal also figured in the game between the Cobar Roosters and the Coonamble Bears which was played at Cobar’s Tom Knight Oval.

Unfortunately, it was the only point that the Bears registered during the contest with the Roosters coming away with a big 42 to 1 win over a brave Coonamble outfit that was bare indeed, bare on the interchange bench that is.

The Roosters will travel to Gilgandra this Saturday to play the Panthers in what will be a gala day of football with no less than six games being played, four of them rugby league and two rugby union in a Combined Codes for Cancer Day hosted by the Gilgandra Panthers and the Gulargambone Rugby Union clubs, with both those clubs drawn to play Cobar in their respective competitions at Gilgandra’s McGrane Oval.

All proceeds from the day will be donated to the Gilgandra and District Cancer Fundraisers with the first game set to kick off at 10.30am.

In other games the Coonamble Bears will be at home and looking to regroup after their trip to Cobar when they host the Gulgong Bull Terriers and they are sure to give their visitors a run for their money at Bearstone Park.

The Narromine Jets will also be enjoying another home game when they host the Baradine Magpies, with the Maggies desperate for a win to stay in contact with the top five.

Round nine will also see a number of trial reserve grade games played throughout the Castlereagh League area with the competition proper to commence the following week with eight of the ten clubs entering sides.

There is one exception to that with the Binnaway Bombshells and the Dunedoo Swans reserve grade teams playing for competition points this Saturday.

Cover Photo: A Gilgandra attacker takes on two Coolah defenders on Saturday (Stephen Basham)