In an encounter at the Oberon Tigers Sports Recreation Grounds last Sunday, the Cowra Magpies clashed with the Oberon Tigers, resulting in a draw of 26-26.
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Coach Phil Ingram expressed mixed emotions after the match, saying, "it was a bit disappointing because we did have a chance of winning it at the end but we just lit it slip away".
"In the first half we were very flat, Oberon came out ready to play, but we couldn't match them in the first half," he said.
The game saw standout performances from Luke Kinsey, who scored two tries, alongside Ricky Whitton and Simon Samson.
"Our hooker Luke Kinsey scored two tries and really stood tall up against Oberon," Ingram said.
"He stood his ground, he's only a little man in stature but he didn't take a backwards step from their big men."
Luke Kinsey's performance not only contributed to the team's effort but also solidified his position as the current top try scorer for the 2024 Woodbridge Cup first grade competiton.
Thomas Rose's conversions also added crucial points for the Magpies.
Other standout players were Jake Slattery, Simon Samson, Morea Phillip, Fotofili "Fili" Paunga, and Brendan Tidswell.
"Jake Slattery really led the way as well," Ingram said.
"Boys from the bench really brought out amazing energy, Fili and Brendan just came in ready to play.
"Our fullback Simon Samson and our winger Morea Phillip really brought great energy and speed on the field."
Despite drawing level by full time, Ingram reflected on the team's first half struggles, saying, "we had our chances in the first half but we were only able to get one try, we just kept turning the ball over".
"We were lucky we only went in to half time 10 points down," he said.
Despite trailing at the break Cowra mounted a comeback in the second half.
"Once we controlled the ball and made Oberon do a bit of tackling, we started to look like the better team during the second half," he said.
"We were down 16-6 at half time and we came back out and we clawed our way back, looking like we were gonna win at the end, but with about four minutes to go we gave away a silly penalty which allowed them to equal," he said.
Injuries marred the Magpies' performance, with winger Chris Wilson sidelined due to a knee injury.
Ingram remains hopeful about Wilson's recovery, saying, "we hope it's not season-ending, but we've just got to wait and see what the doctor comes back with".
With their focus now on the upcoming clash against Grenfell Goannas, Ingram emphasised the importance of patience and consistency in their gameplay.
"Our focus this week at training is to work on our patience. We've just got to make sure the boys keep a consistent grind throughout the game."
Despite the draw, Ingram finds solace in the one point earned, saying, "I'm pretty happy with our results from Oberon, at least we came away with one point".
Cowra Magpies currently sitting third on the ladder, just behind Canowindra Tigers and Trundle Boomers.
Ingram hopes for continued support from the community this weekend, "hopefully, Cowra can get over here and support us" at Sid Kallas on Saturday at 4.30pm. League Tag starts at 3.10pm and Youth League at 1.50pm.
