In a hard-fought game at Penrith Stadium in the lead-up to the Panthers' round 10 NRL clash with the New Zealand Warriors, the Harold Matthews boys proved too strong for their bush cousins in a four-tries-to-one victory in the rekindling of sorts for the old City-Country concept.

Turoa Williams opened the scoring for the hosts on the 20-minute mark, breaking the deadlock after a grueling, physical opening to the clash.

Eight minutes later the City boys were in again through centre Fletcher Myers and with both conversion attempts missing the score remained at 8-0 at the break.

NSW Country hit back immediately in the second period, though, with the Norther Rivers Titans combination of Oskar Bryant and Thomas Weaver producing a try and conversion respectively to get their side back to within two points of the Harold Matthews outfit.

But Bulldogs star Paul Alamoti scored next for Harold Matthews in the right corner to put his side in front 12-6 and when Lachlan Crouch followed that up with another try for City it put the icing on the cake.

Jackson Gerbach (Cabonne), Braye Porter (St John's Dubbo), Aston Warwick (South Dubbo), Finnley Neilsen (Parkes Marist), Kyle Mawhinney (Parkes Marist) and Matthew Noakes (Red Bend) were the Rams' boys that represented Country.

Following the match a NSW squad will be chosen to face an Under 16s Pasifika team on Sunday, June 9.