Continuing their late-season rally, Brothers scored two tries in the second half, but ultimately rode home on the back of two critical penalty goals to winger Harold Kirby.

With the game locked at 10-all in the 60th minute, Kirby landed a penalty from 22 metres out to edge Brothers in front 12-10.

Minutes later, Temora’s ill discipline proved costly again when Kirby booted another penalty to stretch the lead to 14-10.

By the time Brothers young gun Tim Vatubuli crashed over for a try in the 67th minute, Brothers had broken clear 18-10 – and the Dragons were absolutely down for the count.

As Brothers celebrated, Temora captain-coach Daniel Fitzhenry made a fateful call.

“We can’t make it (finals),” Fitzhenry said on Saturday.

“We don’t deserve to. We’re not playing well enough.”

And it was hard to argue with the Fitzhenry’s clinical assessment.

With two weeks of the season to go, Temora are still a theoretical hope of snatching fifth place from Albury, but will need a mathematical miracle to achieve it.

Not only will sixth-placed Temora need Albury to lose their remaining two games, but the results would have to go against the Thunder by a massive landside.

In contrast, Brothers are making a spirit revival and are on target to finish a creditable seventh.

For Brothers captain-coach Ben Black, successive wins over Tumut and Temora are a positive sign for his team.

“It’s just shows what we could have achieved had some of those early games gone our way,” Black said.

“We could have been pushing for the finals if we hadn’t started so badly.”

Black said Brothers had found their best form too late in the year.

“This was a really pleasing result,” he said.

“It was a tough arm-wrestle and we came out on top.

“The boys have really learned how to win.”

With Black on the bench for the last 20 minutes with a leg injury, the Brethren pulled together to deny the Dragons at almost every turn.

Down 10-4 following a dazzling try to Temora fullback Jordyn Ballard in the 47th minute, Brothers responded to the challenge.

Nippy Brothers fullback Cade Price outsmarted Temora to score a try in the 54th minute before Vatubuli smashed his way over for the clincher 13 minutes later.

Keeping the tension up, Grant Boyd put Aka Matapo over for a Temora try in the 72nd minute, but that was as close as the Dragons got.

Teenager Vatubuli was later lauded for his efforts, including the crucial try, a try-saving tackle and a one-on-one strip that diffused a dangerous situation.

“He (Vatubuli) was outstanding,” Black said.

Likewise, five-eighth Aaron Wynne, Price and prop Brayden Sharrock were also excellent for the winners.

Wynne stood up and took control when Black got hurt and his cool head probably got the team across the line.

The losers were a bitter disappointment, with only Sam Elwin, Palu Tonga and Hayden Philp really making a decent impact.

Fulltime

BROTHERS 18 (C Price, T Vatubuli, J Hay tries; H Kirby 3 goals) d TEMORA 14 (J Ballard, T Krause, A Matapo tries; J Ballard goal) at Equex Centre. Scrums: 6-11. Penalties: 10-6