They haven't yet hit top gear but Dubbo CYMS remains top of the Group 11 ladder after three wins to start the season.
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The Fishies had to absorb plenty of pressure early on at Forbes' Spooner Oval on Sunday but again the composure of the side and the consistency across 80 minutes led the side to another dominant win.
It finished 42-16 and while CYMS is sitting pretty at the top the result leaves the Magpies without a win in 2021.
The hosts had shown plenty of promise in the first half and threw plenty at CYMS, with halfback Nick Greenhalgh forcing a number of line dropouts with his smart kicking game.
But once CYMS started to improve its ball control it got into the ascendancy and another try for the in-form Jeremy Thurston just on half-time sent his side on its way.
"The second half we controlled the ball a bit better and got some momentum," coach Shawn Townsend said.
"We defended lots and I thought we defended well, which is a good thing."
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CYMS heads into next weekend's general bye with a perfect record but Townsend feels the break arrives at a good time as there's a number of niggling injuries in the camp early in the season.
Ali Beale suffered a twisted ankle on Sunday and it forced him to move to the wing, but that only allowed Thurston to shift to fullback and get even more of the ball.
The tall, hard-running outside back has been one of the best players in the competition so far in 2021 and after a hat-trick at Wellington last weekend he was in the thick of the action again at Forbes.
"He was involved a lot more this week. His second try was good, the way Alex (Bonham) set-up a play for him and another one was where Hamish (Astill) made a break from dummyhalf through the middle just before half-time," Townsend said.
"He's just a big, strong, fit kid and he's playing with confidence at the moment, too."
Jyie Chapman also scored a double in the win at what has proved a tough place for many travelling sides in recent years.
"I think the draw did us a favour by giving us three, hard games to start," Townsend added, Sunday's win following success against Parkes and Wellington.
"They're all going to be hard but we've had a couple of away games and, honestly, if we'd come out of these three with two wins before the bye next weekend I would have been happy.
"To get three-from-three and still be not playing our best footy, our effort was just really good today.
"Talking to them at half-time they felt comfortable even though we'd been under the pump so they've just been really good."
CYMS will meet the winless Narromine after next weekend's general bye while Forbes will travel to Dubbo after their week off for a meeting with Macquarie.
Macquarie heads into that match after an impressive win at Nyngan on Sunday.
Much was expected of the match and it delivered as things in the balance for much of the contest, only for the Raiders to finish the stronger and run out 30-14 victors.
The Raiders never trailed in the match but were never too comfortable when leading 12-10 and 18-14 at different times.
But in an impressive showing away from home, tries to fullback Sam Coe and winger Tony Clevin secured victory for the Dubbo side.
Matt Naden also enjoyed a successful day with the boot, landing all five conversions in the win.
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