A late try by veteran playmaker Jaden Kelly saw Tullibigeal Lake Cargelligo (TLU) sneak home 28-26 against West Wyalong Mallee Men in their Round 10 Group 20 clash at Lake Cargelligo Oval on Sunday afternoon.
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TLU were trailing 26-22 late in the game, but Kelly scored his second try late in the game to level the score, with Keanau Wighton potting the conversation to give the home side a narrow win.
The sharks got off to a great start with Hamo-Tama Hamo scoring after just four minutes and Wighton converting for a 6-0 lead.
West Wyalong hit back in the 12th minute with Sam Basham scoring and converting his own try.
An arm wrestled followed for the next 20 minutes before Justin Kerry crossed the line in the 32nd minute to put the visitors ahead, but his try was uncoverted.
Kelly then scored for TLU just before half-time to give the Sharks a 12-10 lead at the break.
The two sides then traded scores in an equally tense second half before Kelly played his trump card.
Jaden Kelly, who has played at fullback, halfback and five-eight, has long been a superstar of this competition. He was thought to be considering retirement last year, but returned to TLU for at least one more season.
The win puts TLU on 16 points after Round 10 – as they leapfrog Darlington Point Coleambally to go equal top of the table with Griffith Black and Whites, who have a far superior for and against.
West Wyalong remain in fifth place.