A LAST-minute try to Mudgee gun Ben Thompson, coupled with Justin Gossage’s conversion after full-time, helped the Dragons secure a remarkable come-from-behind upset win over Group 10 premier league favourites Orange CYMS.

With CYMS leading 20-16 in the dying stages at Glen Willow Sporting Complex on Saturday, the visitors’ ill-discipline proved the difference as a string of penalties propelled Mudgee upfield and into a position to score, which Thompson duly did to lock the scores up at 20-all.

Gossage then nailed the conversion, sending the Dragons’ faithful into a frenzy.

“The first 10 they steamrolled us but from there we picked it up but couldn’t put them to bed,” Orange CYMS player-coach Mick Sullivan said.

“They hung about and were good enough to get it at the end there. The majority of the game I think the attitude was pretty good, which is pleasing.

“I don’t think we’ll drop any confidence from this loss, hopefully it doesn’t break any of our momentum and we have a good week and finish off strongly against [Bathurst] St Pats.”

Mudgee scored during the game’s opening set of six, despite not receiving the kick-off. 

Nathan Orr pounced on a loose ball from Sullivan, running 50 metres untouched to score under the posts, before Zach Adams extended the Dragons’ lead two minutes later on the back of a Jeremy Lang kick, with Gossage’s twin conversions giving Mudgee a 12-nil lead.

CYMS winger Semisi Katoa got his side on the board when he barged over, and Ben McAlpine’s conversion cut the deficit to six. CYMS five-eighth Matt Rose then busted through some soft Mudgee defence, and McAlpine scored a 90-metre individual try right on half-time to give his side a 16-12 lead at the break.

When Robbie Mortimer scored off the kick-off to open the second half - diving on a bouncing ball - to give his side a 20-12 lead, the visitors looked to set to hand the Dragons a thrashing, but the home side put those thoughts to bed immediately, hitting back through Jeff Wright.

With 10 minutes to play the Dragons won three penalties on the bounce, gifting them field position, but despite hammering CYMS’ defensive line Mudgee didn’t look like finding a way through until Thompson slid through a gap to cross, locking the scores at 20-all.

Gossage’s conversion put the icing on the cake for the Dragons, resigning CYMS to just their second loss of the 2015 season.

MUDGEE DRAGONS 22 (Nathan Orr, Zach Adams, Jeff Wright, Ben Thompson tries; Justin Gossage 3 goals) def ORANGE CYMS 20 (Semisi Katoa, Matt Rose, Ben McAlpine, Robbie Mortimer tries; McAlpine 2 goals).