Relief as first wins of the season are recorded, tight tussles, and a rare draw.
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That was just some of what happened during round three of the Peter McDonald Premiership and here's how those in charge at each club saw it.
Bathurst Panthers
RESULT: Defeated Bathurst St Pat's 28-20
JAKE BETTS SAYS: "We're a new team and it will take a bit of time to click. We clicked today, but they're an under strength Pat's team, they've got some good players out.
"So it's good to get that off the back and get a win, but we know Pat's have a lot to come back and we've got a lot of improvement left in us."
Bathurst St Pat's
RESULT: Lost to Bathurst Panthers 28-20
ZAC MERRITT SAYS: "We continue to keep trying to play for the 80. It's same-same, we played in patches again.
"I think we're just waiting for someone to give us a bit of spark instead of taking it upon ourselves to get that spark.
"At the moment I just think we're not all on the same page."
![Forbes co-captain-coach Mitch Andrews and his side had to settle for a draw during round three. Forbes co-captain-coach Mitch Andrews and his side had to settle for a draw during round three.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/ec0469fa-eb23-42cf-a074-5e1d411a1fb1.png/r0_0_1700_1000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dubbo CYMS
RESULT: Defeated Wellington Cowboys 32-14
SHAWN TOWNSEND SAYS: "We knew it was going to be important to win today because we could give ourselves a buffer on a few other teams by going three-from-three.
"With Nyngan beating Parkes, it gives us a bit of a buffer and we put ourselves in a good spot.
"We've got a big month coming up. There's the rep game then we've got Parkes in Parkes, Macquarie here, Nyngan here, and then Forbes away.
"The week off will be good and then it's a big month."
Forbes Magpies
RESULT: Drew with Macquarie Raiders 14-all
NICK GREENHALGH SAYS: "We just need to put our good patches of football into a full 80 minutes.
"Forty or 50 minutes of good football isn't going to win you this competition, you need to be at your very best each and every week.
"There's plenty to work on during the bye week but plenty of positives in there as well, moving forward."
Lithgow Workies Wolves
RESULT: Lost to Orange Hawks 14-0
JACK SULLIVAN SAYS: N/A
Macquarie Raiders
RESULT: Drew with Forbes Magpies 14-all
![Randel Dowling of Macquarie attempts to bring down Forbes' Charlie Lennon on Sunday. Picture by Renee Powell Randel Dowling of Macquarie attempts to bring down Forbes' Charlie Lennon on Sunday. Picture by Renee Powell](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/1e11a884-2441-46b1-b4e9-ac96a85c1f68.jpeg/r445_928_2988_2496_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
ALEX RONAYNE SAYS: "We were down and the boys did well, they hung in there.
"I'm proud of the boys. We're starting to gel well in defence and we had a big pre-season for defence and it's starting to show.
"We'll take the draw. Forbes at Forbes is always hard so we'll take it."
Mudgee Dragons
RESULT: Defeated Orange CYMS 34-18
CLAY PRIEST SAYS: "There were parts of it that I was happy with.
"Obviously in these sort of conditions no one likes going out and playing. It's really hard to get up and in a rhythm especially with the way it panned out. There's definitely a lot we need to work on.
"This is the competition. When teams rock up and want to play they'll play, you can't take any side in this competition lightly."
Nyngan Tigers
RESULT: Defeated Parkes Spacemen 32-28
JAMES TUITAHI SAYS: "Pleased with the boys' effort. There were certain things we wanted to work on defensively throughout the week and we did those little things.
"There's still heaps of room for improvement. We are still working on gelling together as a team but good signs so far and excited for what's ahead for our team and club."
Orange CYMS
RESULT: Lost to Mudgee Dragons 34-18
![Orange CYMS had reason to celebrate early on Saturday but they were no match for the Mudgee Dragons late on at Wade Park. Picture by Jude Keogh Orange CYMS had reason to celebrate early on Saturday but they were no match for the Mudgee Dragons late on at Wade Park. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dCXpDgwTEgA52iNCe5aWtJ/b9484fd4-30b4-443d-8dba-434303a59f7d.jpeg/r0_660_8256_5320_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
ETHAN McKELLAR SAYS: "It was ours to lose and unfortunately we did but there are a lot of positives.
"It's been a struggle for the club for the start of the year and we're starting to see the bright side and getting more numbers to training. I think that really reflects on how we showed up today.
"It's that mentality, trying to teach the boys that we have to play the full 80 minutes. Obviously Mudgee are going to capitalise on mistakes."
Orange Hawks
RESULT: Defeated Lithgow Workies Wolves 14-0
SHANE RODNEY SAYS: "Really happy to get our first win of the season.
"It was tough conditions on Sunday but our boys worked really hard for each other to get the win.
"We still have plenty of improvements with ball in hand and need to take more opportunities when they present themselves, but the most pleasing aspect was keeping Lithgow scoreless."
Parkes Spacemen
RESULT: Lost to Nyngan Tigers 32-18
WILL WARDLE* SAYS: "I talked about our defence being a strong point and it definitely let us down.
"We did too many silly things like front-rowers kicking the ball on the first tackle and we just lost our heads with no control.
"The bye will help us massively and we should be near full strength in a couple of weeks against (Dubbo) CYMS."
*Chad Porter unavailable
Wellington Cowboys
RESULT: Lost to Dubbo CYMS 32-14
JUSTIN TOOMEY-WHITE SAYS: "CYMS has been the pinnacle for many years and these are the games these young fellas get experience from.
"We know where we want to be and where we've got to work. Mistakes won't get us there and 70-minute performances won't get us there.
"We'll learn from it, have they bye next week and then a tough game at Forbes to come."
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