Rugby league is a funny game.
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Last week you wouldn't blame Cargo Blue Heelers for thinking they had their Woodbridge Cup Youth League semi-final all sown up.
The Cargo boys were clinical at Tom Clyburn Oval, scoring a 30-12 win over Canowindra Tigers to round off the regular season.
Their opponents in the first semi-final? Canowindra again. The venue? Tom Clyburn Oval.
But it wasn't the right case of déjà vu as Canowindra earned a 20-14 victory to keep their grand final dream alive.
While an eight-hour sleep might've been key for the Youth League boys, coach Callum Clyburn put the victory down to his men in the middle.
"I said to them (middles) at the start of the game we need to work that middle and lay that platform, the forwards run in pairs and that got us over the line," he said.
"The boys really dug deep for one another - home ground, home crowd, they had to win today."
In a tit-for-tat affair, Cargo were down to 12-men after Henry Bracey was sent off with 10 minutes remaining.
The Blue Heelers were able to keep themselves in the contest though and despite being behind 16-14 behind, they were in with a chance.
However, a dropped ball saw Canowindra fullback Connor Munroe pick up the scraps with 40 metres of open air in front of him.
The confident youngster put the tongue out straight away, running towards the try-line before performing an almighty leap to put the ball down and seal a 20-14 victory.
Clyburn added his side's opportunity to play in front of a home crowd undoubtedly worked in their favour.
it's heaps good, there's a big difference, I guess their girlfriends get to come and watch them," he laughed.
"It's just the community, the community gets behind it and it got us over the line today."
In next week's Youth League action at Manildra, Condobolin play Canowindra at 10am before Molong and Grenfell follow on at 11:20.
- Canowindra Tigers 20 (Connor Munroe 2, Aeryc Sansam, Bailey Kennedy tries; Cameron Wheeler 2 conversions) defeated Cargo Blue Heelers 14 (Troy Webster, Isaac Cardwell, Lachlan Barnes, Lachie Jacobs tries)