McLellan and his side were left dejected after Sunday’s 34-12 loss to the Magpies.

The defeat means the Raiders have now won just one of three to start the season, after playing fellow contenders Nyngan and Parkes as well as the Magpies, and things don’t get any easier next week against their fierce rivals.

The Macquarie co-coach stated he was “disappointed” in a number of refereeing decisions in the loss to the Magpies but refused to get carried away.

“I don’t want to make it a blame game so it’s time to look forward and get excited for the local derby against CYMS next weekend,” McLellan said.

The defending premiers remain undefeated and at the top of the ladder with CYMS but McLellan said his side matched the Magpies for much of the contest, despite having what he felt was far less ball.

The hosts dominated the first 40 minutes, one in which two Raiders and one Forbes player was sin-binned, but only led 10-6 after the consistent Matt Lane had scored from hooker for the visitors.

“The amount of ball they had and amount of tackling we’d done, to be down by only four we were still confident,” McLellan said of the first half.

But the Raiders could only manage one more try in the second stanza, second rower Wade Peachey going over, as the Magpies began to pile on the points.