Magpies swoop into the top two with gutsy win over Blues

It was Numurkah that made the fast start, with the home side kicking 2.3 to Moama’s one goal to lead by nine points at quarter-time, but the Magpies turned the screws in the second term.

Booting through three majors while keeping Numurkah scoreless, the Pies led by 11 points at the half, although a goalless third term for Moama brought the margin back to just eight points at the final change.

Moama responded emphatically in the last, kicking the only two goals of the quarter to extend the lead to 21 points at the final siren, securing its first win over a top-four side this season.

“Numurkah, they're obviously the in-form side in the competition at the moment,” Moama coach Sam Sheldon said.

“They've beaten some good sides and just lost to a couple of good sides, so it was a good challenge for us and the boys embraced it, and we got the win.”

The gritty match provided a good challenge for Moama’s engine room, with Friday’s downpour turning the game into a super contested battle.

“It's a massive ground over there, so it was a good battle for our midfielders,” Sheldon said.

“It was a dry day, but the ground still was pretty boggy and obviously soft from the week's rain, so that slowed it down a bit. Neither side really scored a lot, it was just a good, hard-fought win."

While the win was welcome, it was the fashion in which it was done that pleased Sheldon the most, with the tense, low-scoring match typical of a finals contest.

“Our goal is to push deep into September and if you are going to be able to do that, you have to be able to grind wins out,” he said.

“We all know come September time that's how you win finals and big games, it's just going for four quarters and doing whatever it takes.

“I was really proud of the boys and their effort. There was a few huge efforts all over the park really and we just got the job done.”

Ned Osborne and Zac Stovell performed well out of the backline, while Stuart Taylor and Mitch Lake were also strong on the half-forward line to be named in the best, but it was Sheldon who earned the best-on-ground honours.

“It was nice to find a bit of form and just sort of remind yourself that maybe you’ve still got a couple of games left in you,” the former Brisbane Lion said.

“It was good fun, I enjoy those sorts of days where it's a bit of a dog fight.”

Tom Sheldon continued his sparkling run of form, adding three more goals to his season tally that now totals 28, while Sam Sheldon, Lake and Jye Smith kicked one major each.

There will be no dwelling on the win for Sheldon and his troops, however, with the coach focusing on the here and now rather than September.

“There's definitely belief within our group,” he said.

“There's still a lot of water to go under the bridge. We have to improve substantially if we're going to be an actual genuine shot at it between now and finals time, and I think we're on the right path.

“As long as we keep improving week by week, which I know is a cliche line, but literally it's what you have to do.”

Moama now heads into the week off in second position on the ladder with nine wins, relegating Numurkah to third, level on wins but with an inferior percentage.

Following the bye, the Magpies will face Nathalia, a side that has quietly crept up into fourth on the ladder on the back of a six-game unbeaten streak.