FOR the final five minutes of CSU's New Holland Agriculture Cup match at home against Narromine Gorillas on Saturday the students had a passionate pack of university old boys screaming at them from the sidelines.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It wasn't because CSU were failing against the undefeated, defending premiers.
It was because they were on the verge of creating history.
Up 33-29 at University Oval on old boys day, but down on strength in their forwards, CSU needed every last ounce of energy they could muster to hold out a relentless Gorillas offence.
And they managed to do it.
Up until the full-time whistle the Gorillas had never lost a match since the competition's creation last year, and hadn't even given up a single point over the opening three games of this season.
Saturday was not just a massive moment for CSU this season - moving them to the top of the table - but was a special moment in the club's history.
"It's an absolutely emotional win. I've never seen anything up there like it. It was something incredible," CSU coach David Conyers said.
"It's a fairytale really. Over the last two weeks our form was pretty ordinary over the uni holidays but the way they'd trained this week and their attitude towards it was an amazing turnaround."
Keep up to date with the latest sports news by clicking here.
Both teams traded penalty goals before CSU picked up the opening try of the day on the half hour mark through fullback Matthew Brouff on his first grade debut.
Kam Norris extended the lead out to 15-3 with his try in the corner just moments later.
Gorillas responded with a try on half-time to cut the deficit back to five.
That try, plus the break, did little to halt the students' momentum. Back-to-back tries for Regan Hughes and Nick Greenberg plus a pair of successful Jack Keppel penalty kicks blew the score out to 33-10.
The big physical effort from CSU's forwards took its toll and the Gorillas started to find their way back into the match over the second half.
Three unanswered tries for the visitors got them within striking distance but thanks to a stirring defensive performance in the shadows of full-time CSU held on.
"Not giving the ball away like we had been was a big factor. The kicking game was amazing. There were a couple of great goal line stands there that took some character amongst the boys," Conyers said.
"I never imagined that we'd be able to turn things around that much."
CSU 33 (Matthew Brouff, Kam Norris, Regan Hughes, Nick Greenberg tries; Jack Keppel 2 goals and 3 penalties) defeated NARROMINE GORILLAS 29
Want to keep up to date with Dubbo sport? Sign up to our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts here:
Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
