It was third versus fourth going into the round, and the Stingers were frothing to get the points and secure a home final.

They came out of the gates like bulls introduced to a branding iron, and dominated the early exchanges before Brodie ‘Postie’ Bartlett – because he always delivers – opened the score, with a clinical finish to a well worked team goal.

The young Lions finally found their feet, to stem the flow – though both sides lost players to injury.

Stingers central defender Tim Wilkes was still the general – but headed to the sidelines quicker than Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn after picking up a knock.

A Lions defender followed suit after being knocked out by a clearing shot from his own keeper. The linesman checked on the lad’s health by asking him how many fingers he was holding out – because these days it’s unfair to quiz someone dazed to name the Prime Minister.

Then Macksville icon Gazelle copped a stray arm in a tackle, and was soon sporting a purple mouse near his eye.

But the match settled, and the Stingers continued to press, when their captain Paul Coulter made it two to the good, being the final piece in another solid team goal.

With the first half almost done, the Lions capitalised on a fast, long ball break to keep things interesting at 1-2.

The second half was more of a wrestle, as the play opened up. The Stingers had plenty of chances, but so too did the Lions – with Jack Rogan shredding a number of Coffs raids down the right, while Stingers keeper Corey Forbes had one of his best games for the reds.

It was relatively late in the half when Macksville put the hosts to sleep as Coulter spotted the Coffs keeper well off his line and banged a floater in from 45 metres to nail the result.

The ladder going into the round:

Enjoy the gallery.

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