Dubbo CYMS was given its first real test of the Group 11 season on Saturday but the Fishies "showed some heart" to grind their way past the Nyngan Tigers in front of a strong reunion weekend crowd.
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Members of CYMS' 1971, 2001, and 2011 premiership-winning sides were in attendance at No. 1 Oval and they were treated to a tense contest as a physical and gutsy Nyngan side stuck it to the unbeaten premiership leaders.
CYMS entered the match having scored at least 40 points in each of their previous matches this season but they were made to work for Saturday's win and needed two tries in the final 17 minutes to secure a 20-12 win.
Those two tries were scored by Calub Cook and Jeremy Thurston but there was two moments from halfback Alex Bonham late on which were key to CYMS' success.
After hooker Hamish Astill started a neat short-side move that resulted in winger Cook diving over in the corner to level up the scores, it was Bonham's perfect sideline conversion that put his side in front.
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Bonham, sporting a new-look bleached-blonde hairstyle, then took the line on with 10 to go and broke through some tired defence before putting fullback Jeremy Thurston over untouched to take the game out of the Tigers' reach.
"I played a bit of eyes up there and tried to take over on my side," Bonham said after the win.
"It was good to get that half break and put 'Jez' over the line and push the score out a little further to make it a bit tough on them."
Nyngan didn't drop off in the final 10 minutes and kept throwing everything at CYMS but the defence held firm to keep the Fishies' unbeaten start to the season going after six rounds.
"We showed some heart there," Bonham said.
"They were really good in the first half and kept the pressure on us for the full 80, really, so it's full credit to Nyngan because it's always a tough game against them.
"The boys just held in there. We had to hang in tough defensively. The way we defended on our line in that last 20 minutes was unreal."
The halfback also had a laugh when revealing the reason for the new hair colour.
"I did a favour for my sister-in-law. She had a TAFE assessment and no boys would say yes to her, so I did and hopefully it's only a couple of weeks before I can shave it off," he smiled.
There weren't too many smiles from Nyngan players or fans post-game after falling just short but captain-coach Smith was staying upbeat post-game.
His side was immense in the first half and its physicality and strength through the middle had CYMS on the back foot at times.
Smith was barking orders from hooker the entire match but even when he was sent to the bin for hauling down Ali Beale off the ball his side didn't drop off.
"To only give up 20 points to a team like that is pleasing," Smith said.
"That was a good performance. We've been going for about 15 minutes a half but today I think we put in a good 50 or 60 minutes.
"We can build on that and we're in good stead heading into the last games."
Nyngan was forced to work hard in defence during the first 15 minutes of the game and after keeping CYMS at bay they opened the scoring when five-eighth Jak Jeffrey put Adi Spicer into a hole and the back-rower ran 30m to open the scoring.
Ben Baker's conversion put his side in front but just three minutes later CYMS was on the board.
After forcing Nyngan winger Ash Widders into touch in his own half shortly after the kick-off the had-running Brydon Ramien muscled his way over.
Thurston was unable to convert from the sideline and he missed again 15 minutes later after Cook had gone in the corner for his first try of the day.
That's how things stayed until half-time in a match which got fiery at times and despite starting the second stanza a man down the Tigers grabbed the lead back after Widders raced along the sideline before putting Edwards over.
The match stayed in a real arm wrestle and both sides were guilty of errors at times but Cook's acrobatic second lifted CYMS and then Bonham broke through to decide the game.
Both sides will have next weekend off after playing on what is generally a bye for the long weekend and it will come in handy as there was injury concerns for both on Saturday.
Nyngan were the most bruised with Baker not featuring in the second half while Edwards suffered a hamstring injury while scoring and prop Guy Thompson, who was a powerhouse up front, finished the match despite needing attention during the half-time break.
For CYMS the major concern was co-captain Jyie Chapman, who was forced off with a shoulder injury midway through the second half and didn't return.
- DUBBO CYMS 20 (Calub Cook 2, Brydon Ramien, Jeremy Thurston tries; Alex Bonham 2 goals) defeated NYNGAN TIGERS 12 (Adi Spicer, Clynton Edwards tries; Ben Baker, Sam Simmons goals)
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