Candelo-Bemboka still holds sway atop the reserve grade ladder, but tasted their first loss against Bega on Sunday.
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The Roosters stole the show with a 22-12 win in a bruising encounter where tempers flared more than once.
No love was lost during the heated contest, but despite some scrappy passages of play, the result was a highlight for the Roosters, handing the Panthers their first loss of the season.
Scott Ingram was still showing up strong as a danger player for the Bega club, running in the opening try of the match.
Candelo-Bemboka captain-coach Jake McDonald then found the Bega try-line after fending off about four defenders in a strong 30-metre dash down the right edge.
The two teams then tussled through the middle with tempers boiling over a couple of times before play settled.
The Panthers made some good metres in the middle and were pushing the Bega line when Haywood Fraser crashed through the defensive line to plant the ball.
Accurate kicking had the visitors ahead 12-4 just before the break.
However, Mathew Stapleton crossed for the Roosters after a series of good quick passes on a last-ditch effort after the siren and was awarded a penalty try, while a Candelo-Bemboka player was binned for 10.
The Panthers were unable to piece together the same offensive strength in the second half, while John Parbery and Scott Ingram both crossed for the Roosters to seal the 22-12 result.
Earlier two league-tag contests saw the Bega Chicks claim a 10-4 win over the Pink Panthers and a later game finished 12-12 against the Narooma She-Devils.
Taelar Williams opened the scoring against the Pink Panthers with a beautiful solo effort, recovering a chip kick over the CBU fullback in a 60-metre dash.
The four-pointer to Candelo-Bemboka was claimed by half-back Caitlin Johnson, who made a 100-metre sprint off a Bega knock-on at the try-line.
In the second match, Williams made another line-break and tried to emulate her earlier efforts, but was beaten to the loose ball by Narooma sprinter Lily Bennett.
Bennett the same player, who made a 40-metre dash to lock up the scores in the second half.
The first grade contest favoured the Roosters 38-22 over the Devils on the day.
Early play heavily favoured the hosts as centre Declan Bower-Scott made a field-day of the match up, running in three tries in the opening half.
Forward Todd Ingram joined the scoring frenzy before the Devils could reply and almost level up the scores.
Second half tries to James Duncan and James Bower-Scott sealed the result.