After a dominate first 40 minutes, the Cowra Magpies were forced to survive a second half scare from the Oberon Tigers in their Round 16 clash at Sid Kallas Oval on Sunday afternoon.
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The home side were well and truly tested by the Tigers, who managed to come back from two tries down to level the scores in the second half before the Magpies ran in three tries to win 34 - 16.
Magpies captain, Blake Tidswell, who celebrated his 100th game as a swooper, praised his team's efforts in the first stanza but admitted they had some areas to work on ahead of the finals.
"We did start well today, there were just a few patches there where we went away from what we were doing, a few errors that allowed them back into the game," he said.
"In the end, I think we came home pretty strong and ground it out."
Tidswell said ill-discipline and handling errors allowed the Tigers back into the game.
"I just said we need to compose a bit... go back to what we were doing and play our style of footy," he said.
"Once we completed a few sets, we were alright."
Tigers captain/coach Josh Starling said his side's poor start ultimately cost them in the end.
"Same as the last few weeks, we started really slow and it comes back to bite you in the end," he said.
"We've done a lot of defending, it wears you out toward the end of the game."
Starling said a finals appearance is looking less likely but the side will enjoy a bye next week.
"It's probably going to take a miracle for us to get in," he said.
"We're still training hard, so we'll see how we go."
Cowra got off to a flying start, with Lee McClintock capitalising off a dropped Oberon ball in the second minute of the contest to draw first blood for the Magpies.
The Magpies continued to cause havoc in the middle of the park, finding plenty of holes in the Tigers' defence before keeping the visitors camped on their try line.
It was only fitting that captain Blake Tidswell then powered over the try line in his milestone game.
The Tigers then started to create chances off Cowra's handling errors and a string of penalties.
Ty Simmonds crashed over the line for Oberon's first points before Cowra winger Caley Mok tempted fate and grounded the ball mere centimetres from the dead ball line minutes before half time.
It was a rejuvenated Tigers outfit at the start of the second half, with Matthew Ranse and Jacob Howes helping to level the scores.
Cowra were then forced to fight back with 12 men after Claude Gordon was put in the sin bin for a head high tackle before Lewis Dwyer had to leave the field after a nasty head clash.
Cowra's right side attack then put their hands up for a run, with McClintock crossing for his second before Zac Browne further cracked the Oberon defence.
Jeremy Gordon streaked through the centre of the field to secure the win for Cowra.
