In front of a bumper crowd drawn to the venue to help continue the club's 70th year anniversary celebrations, the green and golds fought back from a half-time deficit to lead by four points early in the second half and then 18-12 after a successful, 35-metre Ben McAlpine penalty goal with 17 minutes remaining.

Workies hit back through Brendon Van Veen immediately after McAlpine's addition of two points to the score to draw within striking distance, but the minor premiers' defence held firm as CYMS clung to the 18-16 advantage until the death.

Sunday, September 13 will be the third time in six years CYMS has hosted Group 10 grand final day.

"I'm proud," player-coach Mick Sullivan said.

"We stuck in there in the last 10 minutes, we had to.

"It means so much to a lot of people at the club that have been here before me, to host in our 70th.

"We weren't that clinical in the second half but we wanted it a bit more in the last 10 minutes and in the dying seconds.

"That two points (from the penalty goal) proved the difference too."

Starting in brilliant fashion, the hosts rocketed to a 10-nil lead after 13 minutes with tries to Ben McAlpine and then Sam Hill, the former set up after a Matt Rose 40-20 kick and the latter from a Sullivan grubber into the in-goal.

But as the weight of possession shifted - Lithgow earned the game's first five penalties - so too did the scoreboard, and at the 20-minute mark Jono Van Veen hit a hole off a lovely Brendon Van Veen inside pass to post Workies' first try of the evening.

They soon had their second, too, with compulsive off loader Coop Ale popping a cheap ball to Ben Stewart, who brushed past Tim Bassmann to score next to the posts at the half-hour mark.

Jono Van Veen's conversion then shot the visitors out to a 12-10 lead, one they maintained until the half-time break.

As they did in the opening half, CYMS shot out of the blocks to begin the second period, with Robbie Mortimer finishing off a stunning play that began with a Cam Jones off load on the 30-metre line before McAlpine spun left to find Mortimer for the finish out wide.

It gave CYMS a 16-12 advantage just three minutes into the second half, one that was extended to 18-12 with McAlpine's penalty goal after 63 minutes then immediately cut back to two when Brendon Van Veen scored his major semi-final try a minute later.

With 15 minutes remaining the match was there to be won - by both sides.

But for the most part, the game never reached any great heights as a footballing spectacle, as both sides failed to execute a number of last tackle options and commit coaching-killing errors.

What made the clash befitting of a major semi-final was the heat.

And wherever Mick Sullivan, Ben McAlpine and, early on the first half anyway, Semisi Katoa went, Jono Van Veen was there to ensure nothing was earned easy.

Nothing ever is against either Van Veen brother.

It led to moments of frustration for the hosts - CYMS were pinged several times during the 10-5 penalty count for what can only be referred to as silly breaches - but when it all threatened to unravel, Sullivan's men stood up to be counted.

With 60 seconds to go, CYMS conceded one of those silly penalties, gifting Lithgow both territory via a 20 metre Ben Stewart touch finder and then, crucially, one last shot at the match.

Mounting one last behemoth barrage on the CYMS defence, Simon Osborne lined up the first Lithgow charger then Cam Jones hit the second.

Both bellringers.

And, on the third tackle, when forced to shift the ball wide, Lithgow's right-edge attack spilt the pill - that was enough.

Game over.

"That was a really tough game," Sullivan said.

"We lacked control ... but I thought our defence was pretty good.

"But you can't give a side with so much size back-to-back ball and that's what got them back into it.

"It was a big effort for the boys."

Workies mentor Graeme Osborne lamented his side's lack of ball security, but said his side was determined to "soak up the disappointment and use it as a motivation."

"Our blokes love the rough stuff," he smiled.

"But you just can't do it for 80 minutes. They've walked away pretty disappointed, more about the way we played than the loss."

ORANGE CYMS 18 (Sam Hill, Robbie Mortimer, Ben McAlpine tries; Ben McAlpine 3 goals) def LITHGOW WORKIES 16 (Brendon Van Veen, Jono Van Veen, Ben Stewart tries; Jono Van Veen 2 goals)