The Crows had been without a win at Kindra Park since 1998 but put the hoodoo to bed with a hard-fought victory, 13.15 (93) to 8.7 (55) in wet conditions.

It was the second term that proved the difference between the two teams, as the Crows managed four unanswered goals to open up a 37-point lead at the main break.

In boggy conditions, it proved a match-winning advantage despite Coolamon looking the more dangerous of the two teams in the second half.

Coolamon kicked the last two goals of the third term to close the margin to 30 points, but were never able to get too close as both teams went goal-for-goal in the final term.

Leeton-Whitton coach Jade Hodge was pleased to come away from Kindra Park with the points, but was well aware there is still work to do.

“It’s been a lot of years since we have won over here, it’s always a tough road trip so I said to the boys to enjoy the win, but our decision making is letting us down,” Hodge said.

“We’re reaching for it, we know what we’re doing but we just continue to make poor decisions and against your Wagga Tigers and teams like that, they’re going to cut us up when we do it.”

Hodge is happy that the Crows are headed in the right direction, and getting wins over potential top-five teams in the process.

“I’m confident it will come, we just need to keep working on our decision making and stuff at training,” he said.

“Ultimately the game plan is in place and we have shown that it works, when we do everything we want to, but when we go away from it, the way we play is on the edge, so when we don’t get it right it will hurt us.

“At the end of the day you don’t want to peak in May. We know we have a lot to work on, if we didn’t have a lot to work on I’d be more worried.”

Mitch Hardie and Toby Conroy were best for the Crows, working hard through the midfield.

Bryce O’Garey also showed a lot of good signs in his first game for the year, coming back from groin surgery in the off-season.

Sam Glyde continued his brilliant form as an opportunist up forward for Coolamon with another five-goal haul in a losing team. He kicked the Hoppers’ only five goals to three-quarter-time.

Marshall Macauley was very good in defence, while Ben Edyvean and Jesse Rapley were others to stand out in the losing team.

The loss keeps the Hoppers outside the top five with a clash against the undefeated Wagga Tigers next week.