It was a battle of guts and determination, and while the standard of football wasn’t high, the intensity on the field and in the crowd was electric.

CYMS were out to make amends after losing on the hooter in last year’s grand final against Forbes, while minor premiers the Raiders were out to finish off what has been a highly successful season for the side.

The wet weather wrecked havoc on the park with both sides turning a lot of ball over in the first half.

The first points of the match came in the eighth minute from CYMS centre Matt Marks who fended off the Macquarie defence to score in the corner.

Team-mate Damian Tegart added the extras, sending CYMS six points ahead with 20 minutes remaining in the first half.

With only four minutes until the break Macquarie’s Justin Toomey crossed the line to put the first points on the board for his side.

A failed conversion left CYMS in front 6-4, but with only seconds remaining on the clock CYMS gave a away a penalty right in front of the posts and Raiders captain Brodie Chapman added the extras with a penalty goal to equal the scores at half-time.

The second half saw Macquarie being handed several opportunities to score points, but the wet conditions made it hard for them to hold onto the ball.

CYMS inched away from the minor premiers in the 35th minute when speedy fullback Ashley Widders ran half the length of the field to put his side four points ahead 10-6 with 20 minutes remaining.

The game breaker came in the final five minutes of the match and CYMS coach Rod Frail couldn’t help but think it was 2007 happening all over again.

Toomey crossed for his second right under the posts and with Jeremy Smith adding the extras the Raiders took the lead by two points and only three minutes remaining in the match.

CYMS fought hard, but Macquarie kept up their strong defence and held them out until the final hooter.

The win was an emotional one for coach Greg Edwards, who has trained the side since last November.

“Words can’t describe how I feel,” Edwards said.

“We were behind then we dug in and defended hard, I am just so proud of the boys.

“To give CYMS their credit they defended well and made us work hard, but my boys never put their heads down and we got home in the end.”