ST Pat's continue to build momentum at the right end of the season after an important 34-26 Group 10 premier league win over local rivals Bathurst Panthers at the Sportsground on Sunday.

In bright sunshine, spectators could have been forgiven for thinking the game was played in bleak, rainy conditions as both sides fumbled plenty of ball in a game that was underwhelming as far as spectacles go.

But the Saints were able to produce glimpses of their best football, particularly when it mattered most, and were deserving winners.

Panthers, for their part, had to show plenty of fight to stay in the match after they lost three starting players in the space of two minutes just before half-time.

While a try to Matt Tilley helped the Saints to a 16-14 lead at the break, that was the least of Panthers' worries as Jay McClintock, Sandon Gibbs-O'Neill and captain-coach Todd Barrow all had to leave the field with injury and were unable to return.

Tilley was a standout for his team in the win, which puts them two wins clear in fifth on the ladder ahead of a chasing group which includes Panthers.

"I liked the way we worked the ball off our own line. I thought our intensity defensively in the middle was as good as it has been for a while as well," winning coach Kurt Hancock said.

"Panthers spoke before the game about the importance of beating the teams around and below you on the ladder and it was the same situation for us we had to win this one and we did.

"The job now is to go out and compete against the teams above us."

As they have done with clockwork-like regularity this season (even despite their regular defeats), Panthers got off to a fast start when Blake Lawson went across in the fourth minute, and Jeremy Gordon slotted a nice sideline goal to make it 6-0.

It only took four minutes for Pat's to reply, though, as Tilley pounced on a loose ball following a Joey Coughlan kick.

It was a sign of things to come.

Gordon helped extend Panthers' 6-4 lead with a good pass to Gibbs-O'Neill, who in turn sent Bradyn Cassidy over for his team's second, and Lawson bagged his second when he plucked a perfect Gordon kick out of the air.

But trailing 14-4, the Saints were brought back into the game as Tilley again latched on to a kick to score his second.

In the next set, Garry Reilly grubbered towards the try line, and Gibbs-O'Neill's desperate attempt to take it one-handed only succeeded in sending the ball straight into Benjamin John's path as he touched down for their third.

Gibbs-O'Neill and McClintock were both injured in the incident and, only moments later, Barrow too had to come off.

After half-time, it didn't seem to worry Panthers too much as a break and speculative chip-kick from Chris Shephard bounced perfectly into Joey Bugg's arms as he raced away and scored.

The sides traded tries, John setting up Jared Tyack from a smart short-side move off a scrum while Gordon made a long break which ultimately led to a Jarrod Seager try from a quick tap moments later.

A defining moment arrived when Tilley, from his own half, weaved in and out of a couple of backpedalling defenders before sending a one-arm pass inside to Tyack and earning the lead back.

The fatal blow came 10 minutes from full-time when a quick shift to the left saw a bouncing ball in the arms of Adam Morton, who sprinted in to score.

Reilly's sideline conversion made the margin eight points, and though they spent the last few minutes camped on the Saints' line, Panthers couldn't bridge the gap.

Reilly was strong for the Saints, along with John, while Tilley was in everything and newcomer Travis Winanara was outstanding off the bench.

"I thought all our reserves were fantastic," Hancock said.

"Chris De Young had his first grade debut and handled it very well, Jack Mackey was strong, Hudson White really changed the game when he came on.

"We were scrappy but I'm happy with where we're heading. There were glimpses of our best."

ST PAT'S 34 (Matt Tilley 2, Jared Tyack 2, Adam Morton, Benjamin John tries; Garry Reilly 5 goals) defeated BATHURST PANTHERS 26 (Blake Lawson 2, Jarrod Seager, Joey Bugg, Bradyn Cassidy tries; Jeremy Gordon 3 goals)