The Yass Magpies have defeated the Tuggeranong Bushrangers 42-40 in a thriller at Walker Park on Saturday.
With five minutes remaining the Bushrangers lead 40-32, but two quick tries saw the Magpies snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Cooper Harris scored the winning try on the final play of the game.
After observing a minute's silence in commemoration of ANZAC day the Magpies and the Bushrangers got the match underway.
The Bushrangers were first to score after a Jack Heyman inside ball found big Taulaniuotagaloa Mariota close to the line. The lock forward then broke through two tackles to put his team up 6-0.
Yass, not wanting to let their fans down in their first home game of the season, hit back in the 10th minute when winger Bruce Barrie crossed the line after some sensational passing.
The Magpies then scored in the 14th minute, when halfback Joshua Fattore found space out wide and Barrie went in for his second try. Shaun Davis couldn’t convert leaving the scores at 10-6.
Yass then extended the lead to 10 points when centre Willam Peace scored off a break in the middle of the field set up by prop Manu Vanisi.
Needing to hit back, the Bushrangers scored just under the posts in the 21st minute thanks to a strong hit-up from prop Keaton Walkington-Meads.
Tuggeranong five-eighth Wezley Alexander-McCarthy left the field in the 24th minute with a lower body injury. Oscar Schmidt came off the bench as his replacement and instantly impressed - scoring a try off his own grubber in the 29th minute.
Tuggeranong put the score out to 22-16 seconds before halftime. Jack Heyman broke the line at midfield, found support and Julian Haywood-Whiley went over for the try.
The Bushrangers had the perfect start to the second half when Oscar Schmidt scored his second try in the 42nd minute.
Not wanting to let the lead get away from them Yass hit back in the 49th minute when Bruce Barrie grabbed his hat trick. Halfback Joshua Fattore threw a cutout pass on the last tackle instead of kicking, and Barrie received the ball with an open road to the tryline.
Jordan Mecham-Crane then scored for the Magpies out wide after a damaging William Peace run on the previous play. Shaun Davis converted to give the Magpies a two point lead.
The Bushrangers hit back straight after, with Haywood-Whiley scoring after Schmidt made a one-on-one strip deep in the Magpies half.
Bruce Barrie then grabbed a fourth try to take the lead back for the Magpies after Cooper Harris put him over with a flick pass.
A rampaging run from Bushrangers’ lock Taulaniuotagaloa Mariota gave the lead back to Tuggeranong. Heyman converted to take the scores out to 36-32.
Jake Arranz then scored out wide to give the Bushrangers an eight point lead.
Manu Vanisi scored for Yass late in the second half to get the Magpies within one try with two minutes remaining.
And on the last play of the game Cooper Harris scored the winning try catching a Joshua Fattore kick in the Bushrangers’ in-goal.
Yass Magpies 42 (Tries: B Barrie 4, W Peace, J Mecham-Crane, M Vanisi, C Harris; Goals: S Davis 5) d Tuggeranong Bushrangers 40 (Tries: T Mariota 2, K Walkington-Meads, O Schmidt 2, J Haywood-Whiley 2, J Arranz; Goals: J Heyman 4)
