In a thrilling affair at Peter Hastie Oval, the Hawks had to overcome two late withdrawals, some terrible kicking and a determined CSU side desperate for a big scalp.

And the Bushpigs came close. Very close, getting out to as much as a 28-point lead just before half-time.

But after kicking 2.14 in the first two-and-a-half quarters, EWK found four goals in six minutes late in the third quarter, as Nick Hull and Brenton Roberts pointed them in the direction of victory.

And the experienced pair then guided the ship home in the last.

The Hawks' 8.15 (63) to 8.11 (59) win tipped the Bushpigs out of the top five but the margin wasn't enough to keep EWK in the top three at the half-way mark of the season, slipping to fourth on percentage.

Still, it was a valuable win for team spirit in a club missing a handful of senior players before the game, then key midfielders Luke Cuthbert (back) and Alex Rogers (ill) on matchday, and Kieren McCarthy (hamstring) from early in the first quarter.

"The boys I thought fought really hard," EWK coach Matt Hard said.

"After losing a couple of our starting midfielders and probably being outplayed, to come back and win it, I'm really happy. They showed a lot of character."

The Hawks spent the first 10 minutes camped in their forward 50 without taking their rewards, opening with four behinds.

When the Bushpigs had their run of momentum, they missed a couple before Gus Blackwood and Wayde Archibald opened up a 10-point lead after 16 minutes.

And in the second quarter, CSU midfielder Lachy Moore took hold of the game and helped his side open right up. By the time he goaled on the run himself late in the term, the Hawks needed five goals to get back in front.

Hawks skipper Brocke Argus had closed the first term with a beautiful long bomb for goal, but when he closed the second with a point, they went to the break with 1.9 on the board and down by 27 points.

"Our skill level is not up to scratch," Hard said.

"We're turning the footy over too much and it hurts us on the rebound. I thought that was the case there (in the second quarter). But they played a good style of footy and hurt us on the scoreboard.

"But I was happy we were able to show some fight in that third quarter and come back."

After three behinds in the first half, Hull kicked his first goal just after half-time to start to claw their way back but they were still 18 points down 15 minutes into the third.

That was when Hull and Roberts came into their own. Between them, they kicked three in three minutes to go a point clear, only to see CSU level it up with a point.

Roberts then kicked his second at the 22 minute mark, for a six-point lead, but CSU's Jacob Collingridge replied with his second for a 50-50 game at three-quarter time.

CSU's Steve Marsden took an absolute screamer on the boundary for an early fourth quarter highlight but goals were the real gold in a tense final quarter.

When Hull marked and kicked his fourth, it was EWK by six points before a Blackwood shot for CSU was touched and Brendan Havercroft kicked a point.

Roberts made it 10 points before Moore gave CSU hope with a beautiful snap on the run. But with 1'53 on the clock, the Hawks held firm.

They couldn't have won without it Hull (4.3) while Roberts (3.1) was superb down back early and then up forward and Nathan Scott led a strong EWK backine effort with CSU winning plenty of clearances.

Moore was outstanding for the Bushpigs, with Sam Barrow also strong in the middle. Blackwood got involved up forward and Jack Mason led their defensive effort.

The Hawks, whose injured list includes Jarrod Turner, Tim Smith, Ben Absolum, Jarrad Boumann and Daniel McCarthy, were relieved to hit the midpoint of the season with six wins and two losses and a two-game lead on the Northern Jets and CSU.

"We've got a ton of improvement in us. But we've got a lot of injuries so the bye has come at a really good time for us," Hard said.

"Hopefully we can regroup, have a bit of a rest and cool the jets, and launch a big assault for the second half of the year."

The Bushpigs slipped to sixth, behind the Jets on percentage, after a four-and-four first half of the year.

Full-time:

East Wagga-Kooringal 1.5, 1.9, 6.14, 8.15 (63)

Charles Sturt University 2.2, 6.6, 7.8, 8.11 (59)

Goals: (EWK) Nicholas Hull 4, Brenton Roberts 3, Brocke Argus 1; (CSU) Jacob Collingridge 2, Lachlan Moore 2, Jacob Bell 1, Wayde Archibald 1, Sam Barrow 1, Angus Blackwood 1.

Best: (CSU) Nicholas Hull, Harry Fitzsimmons, Kade Rowbotham, Max Tiernan, Connor Quade; (CSU) Lachlan Moore, Jack Mason, Jacob Collingridge, Steve Marsden, Sam Barrow, Wayde Archibald.

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