Batemans Bay has claimed the 'battle of the Tigers' with an exciting four-point win over Eden at Mackay Park on Sunday, May 19.
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The home side scored three tries in the final 15 minutes of the game, including two in the last five, to snatch a win.
Eden struck first in the match, but back-to-back tries to Tom Bollard and Hayden Murray gave Batemans Bay a 10-6 lead at the break.
The visitors upped their challenge in the second half, taking the lead six minutes in with a try on the left flank.
They didn't stop there, as Greg Nicholson took advantage of some confusion in Batemans Bay's backline to score from a regulation bomb.
When John Aldridge burrowed over just after the hour mark, Eden looked home with a 24-10 lead.
However, Batemans Bay got back in to the match through Nathan Barnes, before a fantastic solo try from young winger Ryan Foley brought the margin back to two points.
Foley took a pass on the left edge, and beat Eden's winger for pace to get into the open field. He then broke through fullback Mason Harrison to score under the posts.
Tom Bollard completed Batemans Bay's comeback with less than three minutes remaining, as he got hold of a high, spiraling bomb off the boot of Jaden Clarke.
Eden had one more chance, but Batesman Bay's captain/coach Brent Pike, sealed the victory by defusing the short kickoff.
Pike said said the "spirit of the boys" helped get his side over the line.
"They hadn't had a win for four weeks now, and we spoke before the game about how this had to be the week where we turned our season around," he said. "If we didn't win today, it would've made the run home pretty hard.
"Everyone dug in deep, and it was a really great effort."
Batemans Bay now go into a game against the struggling Cooma Stallions, but Pike is refusing to take them lightly.
"Cooma are in a similar boat to us, they're struggling for numbers too," he said. "It's a must win next week, then we've got two weeks off.
"Next weekend is pretty much a four-point game for us."
Pike praised the influence of youngsters Ryan Foley and Luke Barnicott, saying they wouldn't have won without them.
"Ryan probably got his start in first grade a bit too early, but full credit to him, he doesn't look out of place now," he said. "He comes in for tough carries, he's got speed to burn, and he's not afraid of first grade.
"Luke Barnicott steered us around well from five-eighth today, and his kicking game was really important."
In the earlier game, the Eden Tigerettes beat the Batemans Bay Tigerettes 62-6. Eden scored 11 tries in the victory, including a hat-trick to Tamika Millard, and doubles to Ebony Pointon, Rebecca Gray, and Alexandra Spivey.
Batemans Bay's captain/coach, Beth Christensen, scored their only try of the afternoon.