Centre Gary Milligan then had just enough pace to beat motoring CYMS fullback Tim Bassmann to the line after taking an intercept five metres in his own half.

This gave the visitors a 10-nil lead and their defence remained steadfast in keeping CYMS scoreless in the first half.

Michael Doggett then crossed in the 39th minute after an 80 metre team movement which pushed the score out to 14-nil at half time.

Rushworth praised the efforts of his team defensively at half time and the display continued in the second stanza.

Fullback Johnathon Van Veen added another try for Workies before CYMS could get on the board and the Lithgow defence could still not be faulted as winger Kurt Beahan snatched an intercept on his own 20 metre line and ran 80 metres for the try.

Scott Fittler hit back with a try down the blind side four minutes later and Van Veen added a field goal to get Workies out to a comfortable 25-4 lead with 13 minutes to go.

But a Terawhiti Cooper try in the 70th minute brought CYMS back in to the game and another four pointer to Gibson three minutes later gave the home side the sniff of an unlikely comeback.

Interchange winger Scott Piper was then able to claim a big Luke Thompson bomb and evade the Lithgow defence to get CYMS within a converted try with three minutes left on the clock.

CYMS made an error coming off their own line after the restart and Lithgow were able to hold on for the two competition points.

LITHGOW WORKIES 25 (Josh Hook, Gary Milligan, Michael Doggett, Johnathon Van Veen, Scott Fittler tries Milligan 2 goals Van Veen field goal) def ORANGE CYMS 22 (Kurt Beahan, Terawhiti Cooper, Pat Gibson, Scott Piper tries Matt Williamson 3 goals)