Dungog looked the better side for the first 60 minutes of Sundays game but a lack of match fitness and not having a field to train on for the past three weeks took its toll over the last 20 minutes.

The Bears finisher stronger running in three converted tries in the last 20 minutes to skip three points clear at the top of the ladder.

A few silly penalties from the Warriors in the second half also did little to help their cause gifting Kotara plenty of opportunities with the ball.

The first 20 minutes was what you would expect from two sides at the top of the competition ladder. Hard mistake-free football was the order of the day as both teams looked for a chink in their opponents defence.

Front rowers Matt Hinton and Jacob Long were laying a good platform with some strong runs and with hooker Hayden Mitchell also making good ground from dummy half the Warriors were spending plenty of time in Kotara’s half .

This transferred into points when winger Hamish Mitchell crossed out wide for an unconverted try.

Dungog were starting to gain the upper hand but a failure to find touch from a penalty not long after proved costly with Kotara crosing for its first try four tackles later.

Dungog regained the lead when lock Nathan Ward put half Jeremy Fredericks into a hole who gave a great pass for five-eighth Jake Clifton to cross for a converted try.

The Warriors made sure they finished the half on a high with centre Trai Brekelmans latching onto a loose Kotara pass before racing 60 metres to score to send the Warriors to half-time with a handy 14-4 lead.

The Warriors have been slow to get out of the blocks on several occasions this year at the start of the second half but there was no evidence of this against the Bears on the weekend.

Dungog looked certain to score five minutes in when Luke Rits gave an inside ball to Fredericks with the line wide open only for the ball to go to ground.

Kotara were having trouble cracking the Dungog defence and it took a Warriors mistake for them to get back on the scoreboard when a simple dropped ball from Dungog allowed the Bears halfback to pick up the ball and race 30m untouched for a converted try totally against the run of play.

Mitch Evans took the Warriors back out to a 10-point lead when he crashed over from close range for a converted try and Terry Drinkwater looked to have put the Warriors further ahead midway through the half when he steamed onto a ball before crashing over the line only to be controversially ruled to be held up.

Dungog appeared to have the game at its mercy but a couple of penalties gave the Bears an opportunity and they responded with a converted try out wide to narrow the deficit to 4.

The lack of recent games and training was starting to have its effect on the Warriors who were starting to look a little tired and on the back of another penalty Kotara hit the lead with a converted try inside the last 10 minutes.

Dungog tried valiantly to respond but were out on their feet where as the Bears were full of running and iced the game with a couple of minutes to go crossing for their third converted try inside the last 20 minutes to run out winners 28-20.

While it was in the end a disappointing loss by the Warriors they showed enough on Sunday and if Kotara are the benchmark, Dungog are in this year;’s competition up to their ears.

Kotara 28: 5 tries, 4 goals

Dungog 20: H Evans, J Clifton, T Brekelmans, M Evans tries. T Brekelmans, J Fredericks goals

RSL Best Forward and Players Players Hayden Mitchell ,RSL Best Back Jake Clifton. Rays Reserve Terry Drinkwater.

It’s a massive weekend ahead for the Warriors starting with Saturday’s game against University at Bennett Park set down for a 3pm kickoff.

The club will be supporting SIDS this Saturday with the players wearing red socks in support of SIDS with all gate money on the day going to this worthy cause so make sure you dig deep when they bring the bucket around.

This weekend is also Old Boys’ Day which is open to all past Warriors players and officials and following the game hopefully there will be live music back at the RSL Club.

If that’s not enough Sunday is the Warriors sportsmans’ day combining golf, bowls and darts in what is always an enjoyable day for everyone who attends.