Tries to No.8 Alex Weal and five-eight Bradley Glasson provided coach Dean Oxley with a sense of relief as the Eagles continued to threaten with the scores locked at 13-5 midway through the second half.

Oxley said the score didn’t reflect how close the game was and he expects Cowra to be in the finals race come August.

“We got the bounce of the ball today and we scored late. We got some tries that some might say we didn’t deserve. The score in my opinion didn’t reflect the game, I expect Cowra to be well and truly in this,” he said.

Centre Harry Webber, arguably Dogs’ best on ground on Saturday, opened the scoring in the seventh minute and Joshua Weekes added the extras for a 7-0 lead.

A missed penalty goal attempt by Troy Jeffs failed to reduce the margin but the hosts responded soon after with Jack Thurtell going in thanks to a slick pass from five-eight Bill Cummins.

Jeffs missed the conversion and soon after missed the chance to pinch the lead spraying another penalty goal attempt.

Dogs extended its lead to five points taking advantage of a penalty with six minutes remaining in the half.

The game turned into a real are wrestle after the break eventually resulting in a Dogs penalty goal and the lead increasing to 13-5.

With 10 minutes left, Weal found himself in space after a loose ball from a charged down box-kick ended up behind the Eagles’ line of defence.

The victory was sealed moments later with Glasson going in for a try in the 78^th minute.

Cowra coach Col Jeffs was pleased with the performance considering the previous heavy defeats Bathurst inflicted earlier this season.

“Our performance was really good particularly in that first half we hung in there and did some really good stuff. We had those couple of penalty goal opportunities which we missed. Then we were too complacent in the second-half,” he said.

“They play to the whistle, when the whistle blows they look for options. When the whistle goes we think it’s time for a rest. Considering what they’ve done to us in the past and considering we’re not full strength it’s a positive result.”

Oxley identified centre Harry Webber as his side’s best and a possibly the difference between the two teams, while Jeffs commended five eight Bill Cummins, second-rower Owen Linnell and centre Danny Geraghty.

Bathurst Bulldogs 25 (Harry Webber, Alex Weal, Bradley Galsson tries; Joshua Weekes two conversions, two penalty goals) bt Cowra Eagles 5 (Jack Thurtell try)