Jamie Parsons

Rankins Springs and Ivanhoe have ensured it’s a three way race for top spot going into the last round with big wins in round six action in Deniliquin on Saturday.

The Dragons and Roosters stay level with Barellan, with only for-and-against points separating the three.

Hillston also stayed in touch with the top 4 with a win over Narrandera, while a Proten-combined team playing under Barellan (with 5 rams, 3 dragons and 2 rabbitohs including Deniliquin’s Fiona Casey) won an exhibition match 28-10 over Hay.

It was Goolgowi’s last throw of the dice and they started off behind with Jack Glyde scoring for the Dragons after two minutes. Despite strong running they couldn’t break the Dragons’ line in the first half, with a Damian Walker try making it 10-0 at the break.

In the second half it was the same story with Goolgowi unable to bother the scorers despite throwing everything at the defence, and two further tries to the Dragons got them their fourth straight win.

Hillston were also facing elimination with a loss, and despite a scrappy first half managed to stay level with Narrandera 6-all.

A scoreless twenty minutes in the second half frustrated both teams, before Hillston kicked a penalty goal to go two ahead.

The Lizards got the ball back off the kick-off and scored to hit back immediately, but after several penalties led to two Narrandera players being sin-binned Hillston’s Irimaia Rokotola bagged the winner for the Bluebirds and they move within two points of the Lizards on the ladder.

In the final match of the day, Deniliquin finally got their chance to play at home after waiting 48 years and 5 rounds.

It was a tough ask on the field though facing up against equal-first Ivanhoe, and despite some strong defence early the Roosters got over through Thomas Lee and Ethan Harris and never looked back.

The lead blew out to 24-0 by halftime, and although Deniliquin got one back through Trevor Morgan after some nice offloading play, Ivanhoe ran up 50 points to regain first spot on the ladder, though goalkicking might cost them in the for-and-against columns after the Roosters landed only five from ten.

Final Scores

Rankins Springs 22 (Jack Glyde, Damian Walker, Billy Vearing, Thomas Judd tries; Damian Walker 3 goals) Goolgowi 0

Hillston 14 (Jed Webster, Irimaia Rokotola tries; Brayden Davis 2, Jed Webster 1 goals) Narrandera 10 (Jeremy Hampton, Bernie Simpson tries; Jakeem Morgan goal)

Ivanhoe 50 (Thomas Lee 2, Ethan Harris 2, Lochyer Brennan, Shayne Kennedy, Clay Jones, Patty Miller, Tyrone Johnson, Orisi Rokobati tries; Jake Whyman 2, Tarelle Jones 2, Patty Miller 1 goals)