CSU hold on for an unconvincing win over Dubbo Rhinos at home

In a performance CSU coach David Conyers said was the weakest of the season so far his side still found a way to hold on for a 28-24 victory at University Oval.

CSU came close to squandering a 21-7 half-time lead as their discipline wandered off in the back end of the game and the error count started piling up.

It's not every day that a team with more than 15 lost possessions, seven lineouts recorded as not straight and 22 unforced errors can say they still ended the game with a win.

Both teams found four tries but CSU's 100 per cent conversion rate proved the difference.

CSU were down on both strength and preparation for the match but Conyers said that can only account for a small portion of the team's woes.

"We've played worse with every game that's gone by," he said.

"Sometimes you've got to have a bit of luck and we did in this game because they didn't have a goalkicker.

"It was a combination of holidays, disruption with Anzac Day and not having a proper training run for two and a half weeks. We lost that grit, determination and togetherness we'd had before. Our timing was off and we starting rushing things."

Harrison Sear opened the scoring just six minutes in for CSU before both clubs couldn't piece together strong phases.

In the 24^th minute Regan Hughes set up Jonah Ruzgas for the second try of the game and Nick Greenberg dashed over just moments later to make it a 21-0 game.

Andrew Seton's try ensured Rhinos wouldn't go into the break empty handed.

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A disallowed try for the students close to half-time - due to retaliatory action from a CSU player - was a sign of things to come for CSU.

Dale Smith brought it back to 21-12 with his try before CSU's Jack Keppel responded with a try of his own just three minutes later.

From there the students were feeling the pressure - most of which they were putting on themselves with poor passages of play.

Seton scored his second try of the day and Codi Riley scored with 10 minutes to go to give the game a nailbiting conclusion.

The students held strong to retain their place towards the top of the table.

They sit level on points with Narromine Gorillas who they face next week.