The Gunnedah Red Devils recorded back-to-back defeats but performed much better on the latter occasion, as they went down 34-29 to the Tamworth Pirates in last Saturday’s Central North Rugby Union (CNRU) tussle at Gunnedah Rugby Club.
With the Red Devils coming off a disappointing 56-33 loss to reigning premier Quirindi while the Pirates came off a 24-22 loss to Inverell, both teams at Gunnedah Rugby Club sought a breakthrough win last Saturday.
There were some promising signs for the Red Devils, as the team continued to adjust following some off-season departures.
Ben Hamparsum and Malakai Kovekalou did some impressive work in the forwards, while fullback Ashton Harris looked dangerous and had some good moments despite the occasional mistake.
Experienced campaigner James Perrett provided spark off the interchange bench, but was only used at the back end of the game for the second successive week.
Pirates prop Josua Yalataki scored the opening try in the first 10 minutes, before a raid from the visiting team came unstuck.
Abbott Stacy threatened for the Red Devils but their opponents survived, before Gunnedah faltered at the breakdown.
The Red Devils lost the ball as they tried to overplay their hand, before some well-constructed play from the Pirates led to fullback Sam Collett running away to score beneath the posts.
Astonishingly, the conversion attempt from in front of the posts was waved away after the first try was converted from the left wing.
Gunnedah hit back as a few players pushed for the tryline, before Lachie McArthur touched down for a forward-oriented try.
Tamworth’s Livinai Tuicakau was yellow-carded before Gunnedah’s Josh Daudravuni made a dangerous run, but an ensuing pass was spilled with the tryline beckoning.
Tom McGowan ran onto a pass and plunged over the tryline from close range to cut the margin to two points, but a chance to level the score went begging when the conversion attempt sailed wide after the previous attempt struck an upright.
A handling error from the Red Devils proved costly with half-time looming. Ratu Ieone Rokovucago made a strong run and was foiled, but the Pirates peppered the line before Rokovucago spun a long pass left to Devon Hamley who dodged the defence and scored an unconverted try to make the score 17-10.
The visitors moved 12 points clear when Oliver Bartlett scored a forward-oriented try early in the second half, only for the hosts to reply when McArthur scored another forward-oriented try.
Rokovucago left numerous defenders in his wake as he scurried away for a converted try which stretched the gap to 14 points, but Perrett helped spark another revival as he scored a converted try of his own with about 20 minutes left.
Gunnedah threatened to draw level when Stacy combined with Perrett and Daudravuni before Perrett backed up and crossed the tryline, but the touch judge ruled that a foot had gone into touch.
With the Pirates back on the attack, the ball went loose following a short kick before the Pirates claimed a try which was awarded following a delay.
Gunnedah trailed 34-22 with a little under 10 minutes left when Kovekalou was issued a yellow card, forcing him to watch the remainder of the game from the sidelines.
A couple of apparent knock-ons from the Red Devils were undetected, before Asivorosi Turagalevu dropped the ball as he crossed the tryline untouched.
Will Chaffey scored a forward-oriented try for Gunnedah on full-time, to make the result appear tight.
The first grade match had begun about 25 minutes late, due to a Pirates player sustaining a dislocated hip which required ambulance attention in the reserve grade fixture.
The Pirates won 32-10 in reserve grade, after the Red Devils scraped home 22-20 in third grade.
The Red Devils trek to Narrabri this Saturday to contest the Blue Boars, who are also chasing their first win of the season in first grade.
Narrabri lost 36-22 to Moree in round one, before going down 24-22 to Quirindi last Saturday.
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