The Glen Innes Magpies staved off a great Tingha fightback to earn a home grand final in the 2008 Group 19 competition.
Glen led 22 - 4 after a brilliant first half performance but the Tigers came back hard early in the second half and trailed by just two points with twenty minutes left. However, Glen Innes finished the stronger and recorded a fine 42 - 26 win.
Jason Ferris turned in an outstanding performance, setting up three first half tries with precision kicks and then scoring a hat-trick in the second stanza.
Tingha’s Will Gerrard snatched a first minute intercept on his own line and looked like scoring but a great chase from lock Jamie watts and centre Sam Key brought the flyer down thirty metres out. Gerrad was injured in the tackle and left the field soon after.
Half back Aaron Jones made a great run to set the ground work for a charging surge by Jacob Key that saw the second rower bounce out of several tackles to score under the posts in the fourth minute. Glen 6 - 0.
Glen made a mistake from the kick-off and Tingha held the ball for the next six minutes before finally scoring out wide through winger Tod Prince. Glen 6 - 4.
Ferris’ bomb in the 21st minute saw fullback Mark Muggleton soar high to grab the ball for a fine try near the corner. Glen 10 - 4. Minutes later a wickedly bouncing grubber kick from Ferris saw centre Joel Jackson dive on the loose ball handy to the posts. Glen 16 - 4.
Jones injured his ankle a minute before half time and was assisted from the field. On resumption, Ferris bombed again and Jackson soared magnificently to snatch the ball out of the air for another Magpie try. Glen 22 - 4 at half time.
Tingha started the second half with plenty of spark. Nathan Blacklock was a real handful for the Magpies defence and scored in the 43rd minute (Glen 22 - 10) then made a neat break that resulted in Prince getting his second try, again in the corner (Glen 22 - 14).
Ferris then began his personal try scoring onslaught with a big dummy and sprint through the gap to score near the uprights. Glen 28 - 14 when Sam Key (seven goals) added the extras.
Glen (Ferris again) was held up over the line and unlucky not to score from a kick through, but the next few minutes saw a good deal of dropped ball from both sides in a sloppy period.
As the rain continued to tumble down, Blacklock made another half-break then backed up inside the winger for the return pass to score near the posts. Glen 28 - 26 but Blacklock was hobbling from a hamstring injury suffered in scoring the try. Tingha almost produced a miracle try, kicking on the first tackle, but the ball eluded their chasers.
Glen’s great chase forced a knock-on from the Tingha fullback twenty metres from their line and, from the ensuing scrum win, Ferris found himself in a huge gap and strolled across for the easiest of tries. Glen 34 - 26 after 61 minutes.
In the 74th minute, lock Jamie Watts made a darting run from dummy half on his own side of halfway and offloaded beautifully to Ferris who pinned his ears back and raced forty metres to score. Glen 40 - 26.
With three minutes remaining Tingha was penalized for a dangerous, lifting tackle (their third of the match) and Key slotted home the penalty from thirty metres out.
This was an outstanding game of wet weather rugby league with plenty of excellent performers on both sides.
Jason Ferris, with a big part in six of Glen’s seven tries, was the standout player and won the Glen Pie Shop’s man of the match award, as well as players’ player. Shad Bailey had another fine game as did big Jake Chard, Muggleton, Watts and Sam Key. But again, Glen’s tremendous team spirit was evident in a committed performance. Damian Doust came off the bench and had a great game, his first in several weeks.
Blacklock was easily Tingha’s best and when he was injured their prospects nose-dived.
Tingha now plays Uralla to decide Glen’s grand final opponents.
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