WHILE the Bathurst Bulldogs extended their Central West Rugby Union winning streak to five consecutive games on Saturday, the performance they produced to beat the Mudgee Wombats 30-19 shows there is still plenty of improvement to come.

With the referee's whistle blown so often it was almost like a soundtrack to the game at Ashwood Park, the Bulldogs went from a 30-0 lead to being under real pressure to hang on in the final 10 minutes.

A host of knock-ons and ruck infringements saw the Bulldogs fail to retain possession for any significant amount of time and aside from Tyson Smith's 52nd minute try, the hosts did not venture inside Mudgee's 22 in the second half.

Bulldogs co-coach Scott Johnston was happy his side ultimately secured a bonus point win to remain in the top two on the ladder, but admitted they were well below their best.

"I thought to be honest we played to their standard and we never put them away really and that showed in the second half when they came back," he said.

"I was still disappointed at half-time because I didn't think we were playing to our ability. We had a good lead [23-0], but it was only the last 10 minutes of the half that we looked like a real football side. Other than that, we didn't play to our ability.

"I think at the end of the day it was a bonus point win, so we will take that as a positive, but I think the boys will be disappointed with the way they executed."

While the Bulldogs were on the wrong side of the penalty count in the second stanza, in the first 40 minutes of play it was the Wombats who were continually punished.

Three infringements inside the first six minutes helped Bulldogs out to a 3-0 lead as a Steve Locke penalty goal sailed between the sticks, but Mudgee rallied after that setback.

The Wombats should have had a try when they created an overlap on the left wing in the 16th minute, but the final pass to winger Jack Lewsley was poor, bouncing in front of him then travelling into touch.

That missed opportunity hurt even more when the Bulldogs successfully counter-attacked from deep in their own half, Tom Joseph making the initial break before Justin Mobbs bullied his way over the top of Mudgee fullback Tom Lewsley to score.

That made it 10-0, but the real damage came in the 11 minutes leading into the break.

Mudgee number 8 Dave Jessiman was yellow carded for dissent and Mark Donnelley scored from the resulting penalty.

His fellow front rower Chris Plunkett crossed after the siren with the final play of the half and with Locke having booted another penalty goal in between those two tries, Bulldogs led 23-0.

Twelve minutes after play resumed Tyson Smith ran 35 metres to score when Bulldogs attacked from a scrum and as Locke's conversion raised the flags to make it 30-0, the hosts were well in control.

But from that point onwards it was Mudgee who dominated.

Hooker Adam Rayner opened the Wombats' account and when centre Rota Setu crossed after a scrum, the visitors were back in it. Josh Cookson converted both those tries to make it 30-14.

With 12 minutes left a blindside run from a scrum saw Cameron Rosam over to make it 30-19 and the Wombats were quick to work the ball back inside Bulldogs' territory after the restart.

Rayner came millimetres short of scoring his second, but the Bulldogs managed to hold him out and escape with an 11-point victory.

Mudgee co-coach Neil McDonald knew the poor first half cost his men, but he was proud with how they responded after the break.

"A bit of discipline and a bit of wrong options hurt us, but we can work on that, it is nothing major I don't think," he said.

"One thing we've hopefully instilled in the whole club is that we never give up, when we walk out on the field we never give up.

"I asked the boys and they put in in that second half, we took better options and executed a bit better."

BATHURST BULLDOGS 30 (Chris Plunkett, Mark Donnelley, Tyson Smith, Justin Mobbs tries; Steve Locke 2 penalty goals; Steve Locke 2 conversions) defeated MUDGEE WOMBATS 19 (Adam Rayner, Cameron Rosam tries; Josh Cookson 2 conversions)