WERRIS Creek switched on for half of the game to beat Boggabri 44-18 in their clash at David Taylor Park on Saturday and book a major semi-final berth against North Tamworth this weekend.
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The Magpies swooped on the Boggabri Kangaroos in the opening halves of each half to set up their win.
The home side led 18-nil after 16 minutes through tries from centre Kieran Williams, prop Dwight Millgate and hooker Callum Hayne.
However Boggabri replied, grabbing some possession and benefitting from two Jay Urquhart breaks.
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Urquhart picked up a loose pass and raced 50m to score the first try and then, following his 30m break deep into Magpie territory, the Roos went to the eastern side of the field for centre Kyle Gallen to score in the corner.
Halfback Jayde Campbell converted both and the Roos trailed 18-12 at half-time.
Werris Creek regrouped in the sheds at half-time and crossed twice in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
The first try came courtesy of a brilliant Cody Tickle flick pass for Issah Millgate and Zac Leonard to combine and allow Millgate to accept a return pass and dive over in the corner.
A few minutes later, left winger Nathaniel Slater finished off a slick backline move to score the first of his double.
Ahead 28-12, the Magpies slipped back from overdrive and the Kangaroos grabbed another sniff, following Bailey Lennox's short-range try.
However the Magpies struck back, with the try of the game coming following a right-edge raid that enabled winger Leonard to kick back inside for five-eighth Scott Berry to grab and dive over.
Another Slater try, from a crisp attacking move on the left side of the field followed, while Dwight Millgate, Werris Creek's best, scored again after shrugging off tacklers with another bulldozing run late in the game.
"The first 20 was good, the second 20 wasn't," Werris Creek co-coach Ron Dellar said.
"We flicked on and flicked off but we have got to where we want to be," he added.
Millgate got the Creek's players' player award winner, and Dellar said it was deserved.
"He was our five-eighth last year," he said of a former backline star who has morphed into a destructive prop with an ability to bump off defenders and crash through front-line defence.
His run to set up Hayne's try in the first half was a marvellous piece of fierce attacking force.
Boggabri coach Shane Rampling rued the simple mistakes his side made.
"We have to cut out the silly mistakes, they've hurt us all year," Rampling said.
"When we did hold the ball, the game changed."
He said his side forced passes and released the pressure they had been building with some simple errors.
Losing back-rower Nic Millar to an elbow hyper extension didn't help the cause.
"They killed us in the first 20 minutes of each half," Rampling.
The Roos collected their second-straight wooden spoon, and Rampling said the rebuilding for next year would start almost immediately.
He thought Jesse McCarthy was his side's best against Werris Creek, while Urquhart and Jack Gillham also excelled.
First grade: WERRIS CREEK 44 (Nathaniel Slater 2, Dwight Millgate 2, Kieran Williams, Callum Hayne, Issah Millgate, Scott Berry tries, Harlee Millgate 6gls) d BOGGABRI 18 (Jay Urquhart, Kyle Gallen, Bailey Lennox tries, Jayde Campbell 3gls).
Second grade: WERRIS CREEK 44 (Zac Buckley 2, Bryce Parsons 2, Nathan Jameson, Brodie Slater, Justin Nean, Miles Kearney tries, Zac Buckley 3, Stewart Porter 2, James Foody gls) d BOGGABRI 26 (Ryan Wheeler, Jason Fenn, Hunter Richards, Tyler Flemming, Alleck Kennett tries, Lochie Flemming 3gls)
Ladies League Tag: WERRIS CREEK 16 (Dyana Porter 2, Tobi-Lee Clough tries, Jess Baker, Casey Hatch gls) d BOGGABRI 10 (Grace Jaeger, Sophie Hendrie tries, Cassidy Morley gl).
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