It's been one tough journey for CSU this Central West Rugby first grade season but against the only fellow remaining winless side Narromine Gorillas the students tasted victory for the first time this year to the tune of a 36-12 score line at University Oval.
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A mixture of resolute defence and better discipline kept CSU ahead from the 30th minute and onward for the much-needed win.
The Gorillas were 7-0 for the opening 26 minutes before a run of penalties in favour of CSU helped the students back into the match with two quick tries.
From there the students controlled the breakdown well and, despite a long list of lost lineouts and big stints of Gorillas possession, did enough with the ball to get home.
While CSU coach James McLaren thought the win didn't come with football as strong as a week earlier, he believed the result could be what his side needs to lift their game.
"In that first half we struggled to get through at least four phases I think. That made things very difficult. I think in comparison to last week, there we turned a corner with our defence and probably played a bit better though we lost. I can't take anything from them today," he said.
"There's still plenty to work on but it was very satisfying for them. They really needed this one as well. Another round with a loss might have made it a very long, hard season. I'm really trying to drive into them that you can't get bored doing the simple things."
On the other side Gorillas coach Greg Wynn still saw positives for his side who continue their quest to get off the bottom of the table.
"I thought we started really well. I was happy with the set pieces, lineouts and scrums. We put a lot of pressure on their forward pack and we came away with some points early. We went away from our game plan in the middle part of the game and we couldn't match the speed and fitness of the students," he said.
"Full credit to the CSU boys, they played well and deserved to win. I guess there's some shining light there in some aspects. We had the possession but we just couldn't turn it into points."
Another tough day at the office looked to be foreshadowed for CSU when their knock-on at the kick-off was punished just minutes later by a Gorillas converted try. The next 10 minutes became a back-and-forth contest with both sides coughing up chances close to each other's try lines.
A penalty got CSU back into the Gorillas half and from the scrum came a memorable run from captain Blake Ridges.
With the ball initially run out to the short side it was sent back towards the middle where a Ridges step put himself into space, beating several players to get the students' first points.
Just minutes later another penalty had CSU near the Gorillas 22m and it was through a cheeky Nick Dutton tap-and-run that the home side found themselves ahead.
Ridges was at it again just before half-time when he found another break, linking up with James Tooth who in turn found Michael Holt who scored out on the left wing to make it 19-7.
The points kept coming following the break as Holt found his second with a risky and strong run down the wing. Tooth was then on the board himself when a Cam Backhouse pass put him into a gap close to the line with 30 minute remaining.
The Gorillas enjoyed the bulk of possession from that point and though they couldn't convert on many chances they did keep themselves in the match with a Kane Fernando try.
The match started to come apart for both sides late into the half but by that point CSU had already done enough. A Backhouse field goal, scraping the crossbar on its way home, was the icing on the cake for the home side.
CSU 36 (Michael Holt 2, Blake Ridges, Nick Dutton, James Tooth tries; Charlie McIntosh 4 conversions; Cam Backhouse field goal) defeated NARROMINE GORILLAS 12 (Ryan Pratten, Kane Fernando tries; Henry Buttsworth conversion)
