The premiership’s elimination semi-final at Spooner Oval, the fourth-placed Magpies were brilliant against a dogged Spacemen, a side that lost skipper Dennis Moran mid-way through the second half with a suspected snapped Achillies tendon.

It’s the same injury to Moran’s left leg he suffered at the Aboriginal Knockout in Dubbo last year.

But the afternoon belonged to Gunn, his first try the result of a lovely in-and-away move on his opposite before racing 40 metres to score and give the Magpies a crucial 28-16 lead.

Before his second halted the visitors’ final rally, Gunn pouncing on a Nick Greenhalgh grubber kick to ice Forbes’ sudden-death win in style with a 32-26 triumph.

“(Gunn’s been) outstanding. He hasn’t played a lot with us, but a couple of injuries have given him an opportunity to play and he’s making the most of it,” Forbes captain-coach Jake Grace said.

It’s Forbes’ second consecutive two-point win over derby rivals Parkes in as many weeks, after a final, regular-season round 22-20 win.

“Great win, we had plenty of pressure … it’s always a tough game against Parkes and we get another chance next week to keep going,” Grace added.

Forbes opened the scoring through hooker Hayden Bolam before a superb solo effort from Moran drew the scores level at 6-all.

The match ebbed and flowed in that manner for the majority of the contest, Forbes skipping away to an 18-12 lead at the break thanks to Brody Hodges’ try right on the half-time siren as the two sides came together for a minor scuffle.

Parkes started the better in the second half, Moran sending Western Division fullback Sam Dwyer over to edge the Spacemen to within 18-16.

But just when Parkes looked likely to assume complete control of the clash, Forbes wrestled it back – in style too.

Prolific try-scoring backrower Ben Maguire showed off his wheels with a scintillating run to score at the 47-minute mark, before, seven minutes later, Gunn showed a clean pair of heels on his way to the tryline for his first of the match.

Parkes fought back – the Spacies always do in Forbes-Parkes games – but final tries to Jake Porter and then Riley Byrnes weren’t enough to keep their season alive.

“Disappointed,” a dejected, and hobbling, Moran said post game.

“There’s only one winner in football and unfortunately it wasn’t us.”

The former NRL half said, while only early on, his initial fears were of another snapped Achilles tendon in his left leg.

“It’s a bit sore again. Same one unfortunately. That’s life, you live to see another day,” he said.

“But good luck to Forbes, they played well, they deserve it.”

Grace was thrilled with the performance.

It was far from pretty – Forbes, on three occasions, dropped the ball off the kick-off after scoring points – but it’s another win in a big game for Graces’ Magpies.

And for the first-year captain-coach that means one thing and one thing only – momentum.

“We know we’re good enough,” Grace said.

“We just have to turn up and be the best team on the day. We’re definitely good enough to go all the way, I believe.

“It’s just, we’ve been a bit inconsistent the last month but we’re slowly starting to put it together at the right end of the year.”

FORBES MAGPIES 32 (Dylan Gunn 2, Brody Hodges, Hayden Bolam, Ben Maguire, Mitch Andrews tries; Nick Greenhalgh 4 goals) def PARKES SPACEMEN 26 (Epi Sodrodro, Dennis Moran, Sam Dwyer, Riley Byrnes, Jake Porter tries; Dennis Moran 3 goals)