Cover Photo: Hayley Robertson/Junee Diesels
Tallon Smith
A Jake McGovern field goal proved decisive as Temora recorded a 19-18 victory over Junee in a hard-fought local derby at Nixon Park on Sunday afternoon.
In a match where homegrown former NRL star Josh McCrone returned for his first appearance of the season off the bench, it was his successor in the number 7 jersey that coolly potted a point to secure a one-point win that elevates the Dragons into third ahead of Southcity and Cootamundra on points differential.
Temora coach Jordon Burley said he was happy to secure a victory over the highly-rated Diesels in a back-and-forth contest.
“[I was] very happy to get the two points up against a side, in my opinion I think are a top four side very easily,” he said.
“They are really strong right across the park, and they were strong before those two boys got back, so they have made them even better.
“It was a tough, grinding game, we were very ill-disciplined in the first half, I think we gave away seven to one penalties, so that wasn’t ideal.
“[In the] second half we were a little bit better but made a few errors in the greasy conditions, so good to get away with the win, that’s for sure.
“We didn’t give up, which [is] always good to see in those tight, grinding games, and it was probably our first one we have had that has gone right down to the wire like that.”
It was the matchwinner McGovern who opened the scoring early, before momentum from a penalty saw the Dragons cross again through Bailey Wallace to extend their early advantage to 12-0.
Co-coach Chase Bernard hit back for the Diesels, scoring his fourth try in three games this season, with a Stu Dunbar penalty further reducing the gap to 12-8 heading into the break.
McGovern hit back with a penalty of his own on the other side to re-establish Temora’s six-point advantage, before two quick tries to strike centre Jakeem Morgan turned the contest in Junee’s favour 18-14.
Needing to be next to score, it was a Junee junior in centre Will McDermott who drew Temora level again with a try against his former club.
That gave the Dragons a chance to win the game with the conversion, but after the kick sailed wide, McGovern made the most of his second chance to win the game with a field goal from 20 metres out with under two minutes to play.
After a tense second half, Burley said it was “pretty loud” when the kick went over to cap a strong showing from the emerging playmaker.
“It was pretty loud, Jake had a really good game today, he has just been a little bit quiet the last few weeks, so we had a chat about that and he really came out and took control today, which we know he is capable of, he is a really good player,” he said.
“For him to finish that off, in what was already quite a really good performance that he had in the game, I was really happy for him, because he [is] starting to hit his peak as a young half.”
Locked in a three-way for third on points following Sunday’s result, the Dragons face a crucial clash this coming weekend when they face eighth-placed Tumut at Twickenham Oval.
When asked if he is satisfied with how the Dragons are travelling at 5-3 at the halfway mark of the regular season, Burley said given the close nature of the competition, continued improvement will be key heading into the home stretch.
“I think we definitely need to keep improving, I think the ladder and the amount of draws that have been happening in Group 9 indicate just how close it is, I think if you don’t turn up on any given day, anyone on that ladder can beat you if you don’t turn up, and that has shown plenty of times,” he said.
“We need to keep improving, we are well off where I would like to be.
“We will keep building and working in the background and come the end of the season we will be thereabouts and playing some good footy.”
Junee’s next match is a home clash with a Wagga Kangaroos side coming off consecutive draws at Laurie Daley Oval on Saturday.
