A hat-trick to Tumut fullback Dean Bristow has lifted the Blues to a 38-28 win over Young Cherrypickers on Sunday.
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Bristow completed his three-try effort with a second half double at Alfred Oval, as the Blues raced to a 38-16 lead after it was locked at 12-12 at the break.
Consolation tries to Young's Jake Veney and Tom Bush during the final three minutes reduced the deficit.
The result keeps Tumut in second on the ladder, while the loss leaves Young eighth.
Young coach Roy Jewitt said he was pleased with the first half and overall proud of the effort.
"The first half was really good. We stuck it to them and played a bit of good footy and completed and put pressure on Tumut," he said.
"We didn't get a lot of ball in the second half and it's the same thing, you just can't keep defending and defending against good sides, which they are.
"We never threw the towel in and it showed with the late tries we scored. I'm very proud of the effort."
Young winger Aborosio Navori opened the scoring before Tumut jumped to the lead through tries to Todd Broad and the first of three for Bristow.
Cherrypickers five-eighth Sam Langford weaved his way through Tumut's defence to give Young the momentum at the break.
However, it was all Tumut from the restart.
Bristow had his second, winger Austin McDougall and centre Ben Roddy both crossed by the 52nd minute as the Blues raced to a 26-12 lead.
Kye Tiedemann gave Young a glimmer of hope when he ran 80m after scooping up a loose a ball, but Bristow's third and one to Zac Masters sealed the win for Tumut, despite Young's two late tries.
"I got a bit lucky, I reaped the rewards of some good play but it's always good to get across the line," Bristow said of his three tries.
"It was a tough first half, they played some really good footy. Obviously we starved them of some footy after halftime and ran away with it a bit. It was disappointing in the finish, but the two points keeps our minor premiership aspirations alive.
"Our middle set the platform. I thought we rolled down the field well."
Two regular rounds remain.
Tumut hosts Wagga Kangaroos next weekend, while Young makes the long trek to Albury.
Tumut Blues 38 (Dean Bristow 3, Todd Broad, Austin McDougall, Ben Roddy, Zac Masters tries; Jacob Toppin five conversions) defeated Young Cherrypickers 28 (Aborosio Navori, Sam Langford, Kye Tiedemann, Jake Veney, Tom Bush tries; Jesse Corcoran four goals)
