The Cowra Magpies Senior Men’s side has taken another step forward in its development, claiming a hard-fought 34-20 victory over the Canowindra Tigers in a memorable Old Boys’ Day clash.

While the final score reflected a positive result for Cowra, coach Craig Jeffries said the most pleasing aspect of the performance was the team’s ability to maintain control and discipline for longer periods throughout the match.

For a side that has been searching for consistency throughout the season, Jeffries believes the weekend’s performance showed important signs of improvement as the team approaches the final stages of the year.

“It was a step in the right direction for sure,” Jeffries said.

“We’re playing longer periods with role discipline."

“We’re still not perfect."

"There are still those lack of attention to detail in the finer things that are letting us down, but we did play for longer periods with control and discipline, which was pleasing.”

The match was played in front of a strong crowd as both clubs celebrated Old Boys’ Day, an occasion that carried special meaning for both Cowra and Canowindra.

With generations of players, coaches and supporters connected to both clubs, Jeffries said the event added an extra layer of emotion and motivation to the contest.

“Old Boys’ Day is special,” he said.

“It’s special for both clubs because there are lots of people from Cowra and Canowindra that have represented both clubs over the years, won premierships and coached for both clubs.”

The history between the two sides was evident throughout the day, with players from both teams sharing connections across the two clubs.

“Even on the field on the weekend there were blokes that played for Cowra last year and played for Canowindra this year,” Jeffries said.

“There’s lots of emotion involved in the day, mixed emotions for people that had ties to both clubs."

“But it’s just that added little bit of motivation when they run out, knowing they’re carrying a jumper that meant so much for people who have given a lot of their time and life to the club over the years.”

On the field, Cowra’s ability to build pressure and maintain possession was a major factor in the result.

Jeffries said the team’s completion rate, patience and kicking game allowed them to control key periods of the match.

“I think it comes down to that completion and adding a bit of pressure to the opposition,” he said.

“We had some good results from a very good kicking game from Warren."

“It’s just that sustained pressure."

"Often, it will produce a result for you when you complete your sets and be patient.”

That pressure eventually created opportunities for Cowra’s attack, with the Magpies managing to cross the line eight times throughout the match.

However, despite the strong attacking output, Jeffries identified one major area that needs urgent attention, goal kicking.

The Magpies’ inability to convert tries into extra points remains a concern heading towards the business end of the season.

“We scored eight tries on the weekend and we couldn’t kick a goal,” Jeffries said.

“I think we kicked one goal."

“That’s not going to be an easy fix over the next couple of weeks, because when you’re playing in tight games, you need a good percentage of them going up by sixes, not fours.”

Jeffries said improving their conversion rate could prove the difference in close contests later in the year.

“When you’re playing tight games, you need those extra points on the board,” he said.

“It’s something we’re going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat with.”

Despite that challenge, the coach was full of praise for several individual performances that helped secure the win.

Jeffries highlighted the contributions of young players Aaron Hall and Zane Vance, along with Cooper Ballard’s impact after entering the field.

“I often mark them fairly hard, the young boys in the team,” Jeffries said.

“But I’d have to say Aaron Hall and Zane Vance, in particular, were instrumental in the win."

“Cooper Ballard, when he arrived on the field, was very good.”

However, Jeffries reserved special praise for Warren Williams, who he said controlled Cowra’s left side attack and provided a crucial kicking presence.

“If you looked at it without biased eyes, I’d guess Warren Williams, the way he controlled the left side attack and his kicking game, he was instrumental in that win,” he said.

While Cowra controlled large parts of the match, the Tigers were never out of the contest, creating periods of momentum that challenged the Magpies.

Jeffries said handling those moments better has been an ongoing focus for the side.

“Being Old Boys’ Day, and it being a combined Old Boys’ Day, we must remember the Canowindra boys were also there with their Old Boys,” he said.

“They weren’t going to let anything go easy."

“There were a couple of moments where they had the momentum, and we probably could have dealt with it better.”

However, the difference this time was Cowra’s ability to respond quickly when momentum shifted.

Jeffries said that resilience was perhaps the most encouraging part of the performance.

“When we did have those little lapses, we bounced back fairly quickly,” he said.

“In the past, if we had a lapse, it could be six or seven sets before we reset."

“On the weekend, we had a lapse, made a stupid error, but we pretty much bounced back within the next couple of sets, which was pleasing.”

That ability to recover and stay composed was something Jeffries believes shows the team is continuing to mature.

“Our game is getting better,” he said.

“I guess when you look at it, that’s a good thing approaching the end of the year.”

With the regular season entering its final stages, the Magpies will now look to build on the momentum created by the victory.

While there are still areas requiring improvement, Jeffries believes the team is moving in the right direction.

“The good is getting better,” he said.

“And I guess that’s what you want approaching this time of year.”