While they finished 32-14 winners, Young made them work for it in the second half at Alfred Oval.

The Tigers dominated in the first stanza, taking a 14-0 lead into the break, but had to withstand a fight back from the Cherrypickers.

The new-look side got within four points midway through the second half before halfback Derek Hay turned the game with a 40-20 kick.

James Luff scored two plays later as the momentum of the clash turned.

Any chance of a Young was then snuffed out as Dane O'Hehir took an intercept and raced 70 metres to score.

Gundagai captain Luke Berkrey admitted there was a bad sense of deja vu after giving up a good lead to Tumut last week, but was pleased with the way the side responded.

"It wasn't great and it seemed like a little bit of deja vu for a while after last week but I think we pulled it back together and come home pretty strong," Berkrey said.

"We have to be getting better at that as we can't be letting teams back in."

Helped by a favourable penalty count, Gundagai controlled the first half of the clash.

Tries to O'Hehir and Berkrey in the opening 16 minutes saw the competition favourites take a 12-0 lead and they allowed very few chances.

They almost added another try four minutes before half-time only for Thomas Jenkins to hold up Jake Elphick up over the line and instead Gundagai settled for a penalty goal.

Young thought they had scored right on half-time, and were denied twice more to start the second half, before Jayke Hogan got the home side on the board as he stepped through the Tigers defence seven minutes after the break.

Young's fight back continued when Jenkins found space 11 minutes later to make it 14-10.

However hopes of a grandstand finish were thwarted when Hay launched a 40-20 with 14 minutes left.

Berkrey thought it was a massive moment for the club.

"It was a great kick under pressure," he said.

"Once we got a sniff we took it by the horns and come home pretty well."

Young's chances of repeating last week's victory weren't helped by Ben Picker picking up a knee injury in the opening five minutes.

They will be sweating on his fitness ahead of a clash with Tumut will Gundagai have a week off to prepare to tackle Brothers.

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