Last time these sides met the Raiders had a comfortable 3-0 win but that was at the Cabbage Patch and that was round three.

The Bobcats had something to prove at Wherrett Park, after being pumped by the Storm last round 5-1 at Korora, and despite that heavy loss were sitting just outside the top four.

Urunga went into the clash with a different line up - Joe Pettit, Ezra Malcisi, Lee Kennedy and Paul Pomroy coming in to replace Grant Homes, Jai Waddick, Jake Tarrant and Fabrice Wamara respectively.

The early signs showed the importance of this one, the Raiders clicking into gear easily and the Bobcats reacting to the first of many attacking forays from the maroon/purple and whites.

Lachy Indian Manning tested the Cats left side defence which looked a little shaky.

There were few shots on goal in the first 45, indeed few real chances were created as the sides manoeuvred around. Jake Leslie charging forward almost had the Raiders one-up at the break after his shot from range was spilled by the Cats keeper and Paul Pomroy couldn’t manage the tap in. So it was nil-all at oranges.

The second half produced four goals in an entertaining spell.

Maclean were first to score through a right side move, and the cross saw Doyle hammer home from close range.

Then Raider Ezra Malcisi, who’d been a problem for the Bobcats defence, was absolutely nailed by a Kevin Crofton tackle 15 minutes in, bringing a card for Crofton and a free kick for Urunga. Ben Dooley fizzed a dipping free kick over the Cats defensive wall which the keeper sparred at only to see Craig Simpson cleverly chipped the ball over the Bobcats defence and onto Paul Pomroy’s melon.

The score lifted the Raiders who were slowly were beginning to win the midfield arm wrestle with Kale Hopper and Joe Pettit burning brightly.

But it took 21 minutes before the deadlock was broken, this time from a corner delivered with absolute precision from Craig Simpson aka ‘the turtle’ -  a right foot curling ball out of the setting sun and into the Bobcats net. This put the Raiders ahead and looking good for three points but the Bobcats rallied.

In the closing minutes with the Raiders stretched, the home side found a way in again from the right side via a cross more in hope than expectation met by Kevin Crofton who fired in the equaliser for the final 2-2 scoreline.

In other results the U/17s recorded a solid 6-0 win over Boambee, the men’s reserve grade lost 1-0, the women’s first grade went down 5-3 to Woolgoolga and the women’s reserve grade lost 1-0 down.

Next game for the Raiders men is on Saturday at 3pm at Korora, versus Storm.