The Parkes Cobras have recorded their second win for the season after defeating the visiting Macquarie United side 3-2 in an absolute thriller at Woodward Oval on Saturday afternoon.
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In crisp, windy conditions the Cobras, who were missing their three best players - Mitch Hutchings, Marty Doherty and Brent Morgan - scored through Blake Medlyn, Brett Tucker and Alec Bateson to move to fourth on the table.
Last season this was a game the Cobras might have dropped, but coach Meghan Kempson was pleased with the improvement her charges have shown this season.
"A win like this with several players missing just highlights our depth this season," she said after the game.
"Tonight was the first game where we didn't have a whole team lapse for a period of time.
"We maintained our quality, effort and execution for the full 90 minutes and really dug deep with a few boys missing," Kempson said.
Some very questionable refereeing decisions threatened to ruin what was a contest played in great spirit, and Macquarie coach Paul Krain was disappointed his side couldn't quite get the chocolates.
"When both coaches are shaking their heads at the officiating that probably says something about the way the game panned out, but big congrats to Parkes for the win; they played really well," he said.
"The positive for us is that we played much better football than we have been this season; we had plenty of opportunities we just needed to finish them off a bit better," said Krain.
A contentious handball in the box that led to a penalty, which was converted by Parkes' Alec Bateson, was one of those decisions - but either way the game was an absolutely enthralling contest, with both sides playing a very clean, electric style of football.
Kempson, whose reactions on the sideline are always amusing to the spectators, was most pleased with the continued progression of her side - particularly with their improvement in the second half.
"With a year of experience under our belts we are really starting to close the gap between our best and worst games, and as a coach that is all you can ask for.
"At the break I just told the boys we needed to be pressing harder in our defensive half and they really lifted," Kempson said.
Despite those missing through injury, a couple of players stepped up to fill the void for the Cobras, mainly winger Ben Coultas and striker Blake Medlyn; who were both crucial for Parkes in the attacking third of the field.
Coultas got through a power of work with fantastic two-way running and a wily confidence to take the game on while Medlyn was very impressive up front in a display that included a spectacular goal in the 24th minute that saw him beat five defenders before knocking it home.
For Macquarie United, captain Justin Sutton was the architect behind many of the side's forward forays while Gloin Schein was threatening every time he went near the ball.
Next weekend the Cobras will travel to Orange to take on the Waratahs.
Parkes Cobras 3 (Medlyn 24', Bateson 53', Tucker 71' goals) defeated Macquarie United 2 (Schein 42', Crain 64') at Woodward Oval, Parkes
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