The Dubbo CYMS were dealt a heartbreaking loss that squashed their final lifeline in the President's Cup competition on Sunday.
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The visiting Thirroul Butchers held strong in the game's back half to deliver a 12 - 8 scoreline after CYMS set out to an early lead.
Two conversions were all that separated the sides when all was said and done and Thirroul skipper Leigh Higgins admitted there was little between the two teams after the game.
"It was a tough game today coming out here, it could have gone either way, but we were just lucky enough to make the most when we were down their end," Higgins said.
"They're a really tough Dubbo side and I want to thank the town for having us out here today, the hospitality's been incredible."
CYMS struck first when Jyie Chapman bounced over the line seven minutes in after an earlier, acrobatic attempt went awry, but a missed conversion attempt by halfback Bayden Searle gave the visitor's enough leeway to steal back the lead with a minute to go in the game's first stanza.
Marcus Moore crossed to put the first four points up for the Butchers, then winger Dane Francis added the extra to send the Butchers up 6 - 4 heading into the sheds.
While a tighter, less error prone Thirroul side held the bulk of the possession for the game's second half, CYMS were still able to make the most of their moments, with five-eighth Alex Bonham slotting a kick into the corner for winger Jeremy Thurston to snatch out of the air and plant.
Despite the try pushing them back to a 8 - 6 lead and wrestling back the momentum, Bonham chalked the effort up to 'a little bit of luck', but said it was good to see the side's combinations working well together after a challenging year in terms of team composition.
"We've got a good group of boys, especially after the season we've had, we've had to have a few players come in and help out, so we've had a bit more of a mixed side than we expected, but I suppose that's true of a lot of teams at the moment," Bonham said.
The kicking conditions were no easier for Searle this time and the shot went astray once again.
Errors gave Thirroul back the ground, and time, that they needed to strike back, with prop Julian Flego pushing over the line and planting between the posts to set up a final kick for Francis to seal the game with deep in the second half.
While Bonham rued the eventual result and CYMS will be left to wonder what could have been after being stopped just short of semi-finals, he said he was confident in the side's ability to perform after only falling short in a number of close games through a very unusual season.
"We've had a couple of those games, close games, that could have gone the other way, it would have been nice to play in the finals, but it's been real good, we've gelled really well, we were just a bit unlucky today," Bonham said.
CYMS will next play the Hills District away in the final regular round.