However, it didn’t all go the way of the Phantoms.

Early on in the first half, Leeton struggled to get their hands on the ball.

Tumut was hungry and had opportunity with two penalty shots, but both missed.

After a relieving kick from the Phantoms, Stuart Dyer put the side back in their own half, and Leeton was eager to get points on the board.

The Phantoms were able to get across the line with back-to-back tries and finished the half off with an additional three points from a penalty goal by Dyer, bringing the score to 17-0.

Leeton dominated possession for the start of the second half, but Tumut managed to pull their way down the field by capitalizing on penalties to finally score.

The Phantoms, bruised, but not willing to back down, pushed hard, adding more points from another penalty goal to bring the score to 20-7.

Tumut still had some fight left and after repeat phases were able to bring the ball across the line, but missed the conversion and were looking at scoring twice to win.

Leeton were able to score a penalty goal from 35 metres out, bringing the score to 23-12.

With more than five minutes left in the match, the Phantoms threw a silly pass and Tumut was able to come up with the ball.

The side put forth a herculean effort and were able to stop everything that Tumut could manage, with a sweet win over a side they have lost to twice this year.

“I was really proud of how well the boys defended today,” said Phantoms coach Seru Rogo.

“They (Tumut) were camping on our try-line in the last five minutes.

“The defenders won the game today and it was good to see the Phantoms back.”

The Bulls have proven dangerous this year in the second half, an area the Phantoms struggled with early this season.

Leeton first fell to Tumut in round seven, losing by a single point after a try scored by Tumut in the last two minutes of the game.

In round 14 last week, the Phantoms again lost to the Bulls after a hard-fought match, 23-17.

In more good news there were no injuries sustained in the match. This weekend the Phantoms will test themselves against the undefeated Waratahs in what is expected to be a difficult match.

“We’ve got a big game this week, playing for a grand finals spot,” Rogo said.

“Hopefully we will have a good week preparing and can go out there and give it another go.”