Tallon Smith

A try to winger Corey Wilson with four minutes remaining proved the difference as Gundagai saw off arch rivals Tumut 24-22 in a try-for-try classic at Anzac Park on Saturday afternoon.

In a match featuring seven lead changes, it was the Tigers who were in front when it mattered most, with the victory keeping the defending premiers atop the table by the barest of margins.

Gundagai coach Hayden Ashcroft said the match is just another example of how close the competition is, as the eighth-placed Blues produced some of their best football to give the ladder leaders another scare at their fortress.

“I think we certainly came into the game knowing it was going to be close,” he said.

“I personally would have liked us to get off to a better start, but full credit to Tumut, I think it was probably some of the best footy they’ve played, I think they would probably say themselves, and they stuck it right to us.

“We certainly had to grind and lift the level to come away with what was a tight win.

“[I was] very impressed with how we composed ourselves, there was times there where we were defending our line for long periods.

“To come away with a win, I’m certainly pleased, and [it is] another step for us in the right direction.”

After the Tigers overcame an early deficit following Michael Fenn’s early effort for the Blues with tries to Wilson and James Morgan, Tumut fought back to take a narrow 10-8 lead to the break thanks to Jordan Anderson’s effort from dummy half.

That lead became a deficit of four three minutes into the second stanza, when Derek Hay found his way over, with Fenn’s second soon after cancelled out by another to Hay to give Gundagai a 20-16 lead early in the final quarter of the match.

After their success in the air against Brothers last week, Tumut went back to the well as Fynn Debono again showed off his Aussie rules-style aerial prowess by taking a cross-field kick from halfback Callum Rossiter to put the visitors back in front.

However, having already reclaimed the three times previously in the match, the table-topping Tigers again found a way, with an offload from skipper Hayden Ashcroft finding its way out to winger Corey Wilson who scored in the corner, giving Gundagai a two-point lead which it clung to desperately in seeing off another late chance for Tumut to earn the victory.

Finishing with two tries and two goals, Wilson’s contribution to the victory was integral, earning the usual reserve grader plenty of praise alongside representative halfback Hay after he stepped up to replace Sailusi Temaka for a second straight week.

“With Sailusi out for us for another couple of weeks, he stepped up for us, coming onto the wing, he did a fantastic job for us [on Saturday],” Ashcroft said.

“There was a number of good players for us, Derek Hay really stood up, and stood out for us. 

“He kicked a 40-20 at a crucial time in the game and scored two tries himself, so he was great.”

Next up for the Tigers is a clash with the Albury Thunder at Greenfield Park on Sunday, a team that will be looking for a response after falling to Wagga Brothers on the road.

With the challenge Tumut offered them in mind, Ashcroft said his side expects a tough game at another venue that is traditionally unfavourable to travelling teams.

“I think it’s the same, Albury have been struggling to find a little bit of form, but home game there at Greenfield Park, I think any team is going to be hard to beat at home,” he said.

“Like I have said in previous weeks, we are winning, but we are doing it the hard way, obviously I’m pleased with how we are turning up and how we are still getting results, but we need to really turn up again against Albury, I think they will come out firing as well.

“This competition is so tight that we just need to be on from the start.

“Hopefully we are up for it, hopefully we travel well, and we can keep moving forward through the competition.”

Tumut’s next task is a showdown with Cootamundra at home on Sunday.

GUNDAGAI 24 (C. Wilson 2, D. Hay 2, J. Morgan tries; C. Wilson 2 goals) DEFEATED TUMUT 22 (M. Fenn 2, J. Anderson, F. Debono tries; E. Williams 2, A. Williams goals) at Anzac Park, Saturday July 11.