An eight-game winning streak for the Gunnedah Red Devils ended in spectacular fashion, as a last-gasp converted try gave the Tamworth Pirates a thrilling 45-38 victory at Gunnedah Rugby Park last Saturday.
The score was 38-all in the dying stages of the Central North Rugby Union (CNRU) contest, before the visitors scored the match-stealing try just three seconds before full-time.
It was only Gunnedah’s second loss this year, with the first back in round one on April 26 when the Moree Bulls won 45-28 at home.
Last Saturday’s outcome had no bearing on the upcoming finals considering the Red Devils had already locked up first place and a home semi-final, while the Pirates went from last to fifth in the six-team competition.
Gunnedah led 26-5 in the shadows of half-time but conceded a try just before the break, and then faltered repeatedly in the second half while the Pirates scored some lamentably soft tries.
The Red Devils lacked urgency, while their defence looked rather lazy at times.
The hosts repeatedly recovered after conceding points, only to fall away again and find themselves back to square one.
With the minor premiership safely in Gunnedah’s keeping, the Red Devils evidently lowered their intensity and didn’t show their usual commitment.
Gunnedah skipper Tim McDermott said the Red Devils had spoken about lifting to a finals standard, but were nowhere near achieving it.
“The Pirates played really well for the full 80 minutes,” he said.
“We just let ourselves down in a few key effort areas…the effort around the park just wasn’t there.”
McDermott said the Pirates “wanted it more” while it was a wake-up call for the Red Devils.
The home side had a dream start as Asivorosi Turagalevu scored a try after just 47 seconds of play, having broken away down the left wing.
A forward pass cost the Red Devils a try, and then a few quick penalties to the Pirates led to Gunnedah’s Zac Newcombe receiving a yellow card.
The Pirates also found themselves down a player for 10 minutes, as Henry Leslie was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle.
Just before Newcombe’s return, Gunnedah moved ahead 12-0 as James Perrett broke away unopposed to score at the posts following a faulty chip-kick from the Pirates.
Following two quick penalties to the Pirates, Jock Cullen embarrassed Gunnedah’s defence as he brushed off a couple of tacklers and charged over the tryline to reduce the margin to seven points.
Shortly after Leslie returned, the Pirates again found themselves a player short following an indiscretion from Josua Yalataki.
Gunnedah scored two quick tries while Yalataki was repenting, with Lachy Mack touching down amid pick-and-drive tactics before Perrett bagged his second as he backed up a break from Turagalevu.
The Red Devils lapsed as Tamworth’s Devon Hamley scored in the left corner just 50 seconds before half-time, and Nick McCrohon’s conversion pruned the margin to two converted tries.
There was no change to the score in the first 10 minutes of the second half, before the Red Devils virtually went to sleep as the Pirates bagged two quick tries to slash the margin to two points.
Hamley scored his second try after a defender raced out of the line and left a huge gap, and then Ben Sleeman made a huge run from the kick-off. Moments later, the Pirates easily exploited an overlap as Cullen crossed the tryline untouched.
Gunnedah hit back with a converted try to Joe Tuiyawa after the forwards muscled towards the tryline, making the score 33-24 Gunnedah’s way in the 58th minute.
Following successive penalties, the Red Devils went to sleep again as Brandon Parry sliced through for a simple-looking try to reduce the gap back to two points.
The Red Devils sought to reply but they were foiled just centimetres from the tryline, before finding themselves near their tryline when a kamikaze pass was thrown.
The Pirates hit the lead for the first time, as Brad Male darted from close to the line and bamboozled the defence before reaching to score in a last-ditch tackle.
The Pirates led 38-33 with nearly 10 minutes left as McCrohon converted, but a Gunnedah victory was still within reach as the home side gained possession in enemy territory.
After applying pressure, Adrian Burl and Perrett combined with Turagalevu who bumped off a defender and touched down in the left corner to draw level at 38-all.
Burl’s sideline conversion attempt sailed wide in the 74th minute, before the pendulum see-sawed.
A kick from Perrett took a drunken bounce before Turagalevu pursued the loose ball, only to injure his ankle.
Turagalevu remained on the ground while receiving treatment for the remainder of the game, with the Red Devils in good position before losing possession.
The Pirates made inroads before Parry made a break with full-time imminent, and fed Johnny Seabrook who dived triumphantly over the tryline to seal the deal.
The Red Devils have a bye this Saturday before hosting Moree a week later, with the winner to host the grand final.
Meanwhile, Gunnedah’s reserve graders finished their season without a victory as they were beaten 49-19 last Saturday.
