Temora maintain winning start with a two-goal victory against The Rock-Yerong Creek

After leading for much of the second and third quarters, the Kangaroos were down by nine points early in the last quarter before rallying for a solid 12.9 (81) to 10.9 (69) win.

"At times they really challenged us and that's when we went away from what we do well and played a bit of scrappy footy," Wooden said.

"But I'm proud of the boys for hanging in there again. We've done that a couple of times already this year - been challenged and the boys come together - like at CSU (in round one) and again here.

"I've just said to the boys, that's something you can't teach. It's hard to pull yourself together as a team when you're challenged and come out on top, which we've done."

The coach set the example with a four-goal performance in his first game of the season. And they were leadership plays: one in the first quarter when TRYC was right on top early, and three in the third quarter (including two in quick succession) when the Saints were looming again.

"It feels like I haven't played for three years but I've only missed two games. But it was good to be back out there with the boys. I pulled up good and got through it," Wooden said.

Their strength was to stay in the game when the Magpies held momentum. Preventing the home side from getting away, they were able to reel them in by kicking three goals a quarter.

For starters, in the first, TRYC dominated but kicked 4.4 to lead by only nine points.

Temora's three in a row in the second quarter put them up by 10 points. In the third they led by 16, before the Magpies stormed back in front with four goals, including one to teenage debutant Luke Fellows and two to Andy Carey.

Carey's fifth goal - getting on the end of a Ben Fixter and David Pieper clearance - had the home side up by four points at three-quarter-time.

His sixth after the break had the Pies daring to believe. But in the space of five minutes that nine point lead was an 11-point deficit after Temora found their three goals, twice through Matt Harpley (who finished with four) and one to Colby Poole.

The Roos, who were without Jacob Turner ('flu) and lost Sam Jensen late with a hamstring, had just enough polish to get the job done against a Pies outfit that worked hard to be on top for significant passages but couldn't do enough damage when they were.

"Their midfield, we knew it was classy and we had to hang with them," Wooden said.

"We got a couple of lucky ones out the back, against the momentum of play. Then again, in the third quarter, we probably had 80 percent of the ball and in the last five minutes they jammed three goals on us to go into three-quarter time a few points up.

"That's something we've got to work on, the finishes."

As well as Wooden, Will Reinhold was again superb for Temora. Harpley's second goal in the second quarter to put his side in front was courtesy of some absolute class up the ground from Reinhold to get his side out of trouble. And Colby Poole left his mark on the game with a strong presence in the midfield.

Tom Yates led the Pies well while Todd Hannam was strong at full-back and Carey's six goals, his presence, and a few inspiring second efforts kept them in the contest.

But it doesn't get any easier for the Pies who head to North Wagga next week.

While Temora are at home to Marrar, who enjoyed their second win of the season, against the Northern Jets.

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