Few look forward to the long trek to Cobar but it wasn't a problem for the Gulgong Terriers on Saturday.
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In the latest sign Gulgong is the real deal this season, the Terriers scored a 34-20 win over the defending premiers on their own turf.
The victory means Gulgong now sits alone at the top of the Castlereagh League ladder after nine rounds.
Taking the crow out of the Roosters at Tom Knight Oval is widely acknowledged as one of the more difficult assignments in the Castlereagh competition but the Terriers came away with an impressive win, scoring six tries to four, with their front rower Blake Gorrie crossing for three of them.
With just five rounds remaining, Gulgong is now in a good position to claim the minor premiership.
The Terriers are on the road again in round 10, this time to Narromine, with not only their unbeaten status on the line, but also the opportunity to claim the Boronia Cup if they can get over the top of the Jets.
This will undoubtedly be the match of the round, the importance of which should ensure a big crowd packing into Cale Oval.
The two teams last met back in round one with the Terriers winning a high scoring game 42-32.
![Baradine's Liam Fernando loses the ball while being tackled by two Coonamble Bears. Picture by Peter Sherwood Photography Baradine's Liam Fernando loses the ball while being tackled by two Coonamble Bears. Picture by Peter Sherwood Photography](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/118079462/fe3fa804-a770-43c6-bd43-456ff88309a3.jpeg/r0_24_600_363_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In the past few weeks, Gilgandra supporters have become accustomed to viewing some heart stopping displays, with the Panthers getting home very late by just one point in each of their two games leading up to the clash with the Dunedoo Swans on Saturday at Dunedoo.
The game produced a similar scenario, with an intense finish, after the Swans, with a very strong breeze at their backs had rushed out to an early 12 points to nil lead after just nine minutes of play.
But by half time the Panthers had replied with three tries and they took a 16 to 12 lead to the sheds at half time with most thinking that their prospects of victory looked promising, given that they would have the assistance of the wind in the second half.
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A rather strongly worded "address" at half time in the Dunedoo dressing room seemed to have some effect on the home side and it was only desperate Gilgandra defence that kept them out in the opening exchange of the second stanza.
Just five minutes after the break both sides had a player sent off then soon after the Swans scored to lock it up at 16 all.
Gilgandra replied in the fifteenth minute to take a 20 to 16 lead and then the game ebbed and flowed without further scoreboard action until with just one minute remaining in the game a converted try to the Swans sent their home crowd delirious as they took a 22 to 20 lead.
But the Fat Lady was not singing just yet because there was another twist to come in the game.
With a second remaining Gilgandra kick off to restart play and from that restart they were awarded a penalty and it was still game on.
The Panthers declined the opportunity to kick for goal to snatch a draw and kicked for touch instead.
The finish to the game, in what was a tense situation for both camps, came to quite an anticlimactic finish when the Panthers tried to move the ball wide from their tap kick only to see the second pass go astray and it was to be the Swans who claimed the all-important win.
In other games, the Coonabarabran Unicorns registered a strong 46 to 18 win over Binnaway and Baradine downed Coonamble 36 to 28.
The wins by those two clubs sets up what should be a classic local derby clash at Baradine this Saturday with much at stake for both clubs as they strive to keep in touch with the top five.
Currently both clubs sit on 17 points, two adrift of fifth placed Gilgandra, and whilst the Panthers will get maximum competition points this weekend courtesy of having the bye, a loss by either side will make it all that more difficult to claim a semi-final berth.
This weekend will also see the start of the reserve grade competition with seven of the nine clubs having entered teams.
Reserve grade games will be played at Narromine and Cobar with 12:00 noon kick offs and at Baradine with a 1:15pm kick off.
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