Mudgee progressed to this Sunday’s preliminary final with a thrilling win in their minor semi-final at Glen Willow Stadium on Saturday.

The home side came back from an eight-point half-time deficit to end Bathurst Panthers’ incredible two-month run 24-18.

Goal kicking proved to be the major difference as both sides scored four tries but Josh Crowe had a 100 per cent record for Mudgee compared to Blake Lawson’s one conversion.

PHOTOS | Click here to view a gallery of pictures from Group 10 matches on Saturday.

However, the game was on a knife’s edge in the dying stages as for the final five minutes of the game, Panthers searched for that elusive fifth try.

They came close several times and it appeared five-eighth Matt Rose had the ball over the line with two minutes to go, but Dragons’ fullback Nathan Orr somehow stopped him.

It was that desperate defence that won Mudgee the game and the type of the defence that had been missing for the last few weeks.

But it seems to be back and just in time for a preliminary final encounter against St Pat’s.

“We made a habit of defending our line and that is how it all started. Just defending our line and that’s what we did today,” injured Dragons’ player-coach Jack Afamasaga said.

“We have gone back to defending for your mate and not letting your mate down.”

There was also a period in the first half where Mudgee managed to hold out the men in black for consecutive sets.

Both sides were riddled with errors and ill-discipline, but coach John Fearnley said that was the pressure of semi-final footy.

“It was a pretty tough game, just how semi-finals should be played,” Fearnley started.

“Just a couple of times, even towards the end, we were a chance of winning. 

“We missed a few opportunities there today but we are not too far away from beating the top sides.”

The loss ends Panthers’ season and incredible run of fortune, which began with the 34-12 victory over Mudgee in July and saw them sneak into the top five.

“Our blokes had a big back end to the year. It is a really good stepping stone for next year. I’m really, really proud of what they’ve done in the last six to seven weeks,” Fearnley said.

It might have been the nerves but neither team looked like semi-finalists in the opening stages with plenty of ball going to ground.

Mudgee had a chance of posting first points but Hamish Bryant was penalised for a double movement.

At the other end, Panthers were able to make it count when Lawson scored the first of his three tries in the 14th minute.

But a good side never goes away and it took a good player to get Mudgee back.

Returning from a shoulder injury, Corin Smith burst onto a flick pass and ran 80 metres to score.

Panthers hammered Mudgee’s line for the next five minutes but the Dragons were able to hold them out.

Not for long though.

Panthers scored two tries in as many minutes, the first to winger Chris Shephard and an intercept to Lawson to make it 14-6 at half-time.

Mudgee had to score first to stay in the hunt and they did when Demitrius Ainuu’s pass was knocked down by a Panthers defender and Mudgee co-captain Jared Robinson scored.

A few minutes later, Mudgee hit the lead when Chris Ward off-loaded the ball to Smith for his second try of the day and 28th for the season.

In the 17th minute, Orr defused a Rose bomb and, with veteran William “Bubba” Kennedy chasing at his heels, the young Dragons’ speedster raced away to score and make it 24-14.

There were some big hits by players from both teams especially from Dragons’ Bryant and Panthers’ captain Brent Seager.

Panthers closed the gap to six when Lawson scored his third from a chip-kick.

From then on, Panthers peppered Mudgee’s line with kicks and strong runs, but the Dragons held them out.

With 20 seconds left, a last ditch grubber kick by Blake Dean for Lawson was tapped out behind the dead ball line by Tom Lewsley to conclude the game.

All of the Mudgee players had big games with Bryant, Ward, Robinson and Ben Thompson leading the way.

Mudgee had players playing out of position due to injuries but they held their own, which pleased the coach.

“The one thing I can count on with the boys is whatever position they can play, bench or start, they give their everything and I can’t ask for much more,” Afamasaga said.

MUDGEE DRAGONS 24 (Corin Smith 2, Nathan Orr, Jared Robinson tries; Josh Crowe 4 goals) def BATHURST PANTHERS 18 (Blake Lawson 3, Chris Shephard tries; Lawson goal).