Dubbo College secured a second Astley Cup rugby league win for the year on Friday but it wasn't enough to secure overall success against Bathurst High.
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Bathurst scored a narrow 411-389 overall win over Dubbo in the tie - which had the second day of play postponed after a teachers' strike last month - to secure second spot after Orange High had already finished champions.
Two pieces of Jackson Carter magic wasn't enough to win the rugby league match on Friday afternoon but it did play an important role in the overall story.
Carter's try assist then four-pointer of his own off the back of a 20-metre run was to prove crucial in Bathurst getting over the line.
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Before the halfback turned it on in a big five-minute period to help lock the game up at 18-all, Dubbo was in control of the match and threatened to snatch the honours in the Astley Cup tie as well.
So while Dubbo centre Michael Ross scored a nice opportunistic try with a tick over 10 minutes left to help his side to a 24-18 victory at Carrington Park, it did not earn the visitors a big enough points split to claim overall honours against Bathurst High.
It did, however, make it two-from-two rugby league wins after a thrilling win over Orange at Apex Oval last month.
"I know they say it was a dead rubber because Orange had already won, but everyone still wanted to win their final games," Bathurst High league coach and Astley Cup co-coordinator Lachlan Blaikie said.
"I guess the boys would've liked to win the footy, but at the same time we got second place overall which is pretty good.
"Those couple of tries at the back end is what helped give us that buffer in overall points. When Dubbo scored that last try it was a nervous finish because the more points you score in a game the bigger the differential.
"So it was nice of the guys to hold on like they did, it was a bit touch and go at times."
Bathurst went into the second day of the tie with Dubbo holding a 56-point lead.
As the basketball finished in a 34-all draw it was a 50 points apiece split, but Bathurst increased its advantage thanks to a 46-37 (55-45 split) win in the netball.
However, Dubbo rallied with a commanding display in the athletics to earn a 66-35 split.
It meant with just the rugby league remaining Bathurst had a 35-point lead in the tie - a margin Dubbo could overcome if it could post a handy win
It was Bathurst that opened scoring in the fourth minute, prop Sebastian Johns dragging several defenders over the line with him in a show of strength.
Dubbo responded via Jacob Wilson then Fing showed his brilliant acceleration to slice through Bathurst's left-edge defence to make it 10-6.
That's how it remained until the break, but there were other highlights too.
Bathurst winger Angus Cafe pulled off a try saver on Dubbo fullback Will Cuthill, while the visitors made a pair of one-on-one strips.
The opening minutes of the second half belonged to Dubbo and in particular winger Dane Fuller and Fing.
Fuller scored twice in the space of five minutes - once after Bathurst High spilled a Fing bomb, the other as a long ball from the five-eighth gave him room to move.
That saw Dubbo out to an 18-6 lead and Bathurst High spectators watching on were nervous.
That was until Carter lifted.
Following an excellent Mitch Lamb charge which carried Bathurst within striking range, Carter drifted across the field before putting the ball on the chest of Ronan Hunt-Cameron.
The lock then surged his way over and Carter converted to make it 18-12.
Minutes later the halfback went himself, taking on the line and slicing straight through to score. His kick locked it up at 18-all.
It set up a tense finish and though Dubbo won the match 24-18 thanks to Ross, Bathurst won the day.
It helped ease the disappointment of losing its tie to 2022 champions Orange High by just 14 points.
