CYMS will now face Lithgow Workmens Club at Lithgow next Sunday.

After 20 minutes CYMS looked to be threatening the finals record books after a Kurt Beahan hat-trick, aided by some powerful line breaks from five-eighth Matt Clarke, and a neat try to nippy fullback Tim Bassmann piloted the green and golds out to a 20-0 lead.

But semi finals football rarely, if ever, goes to script.

Facing a fourth straight loss to CYMS in 2008 and their third by a potential cricket score, Hawks did something they have struggled to do all season — fight back.

Tries to Tom Kent and Adam Hall pegged the deficit back to 12 at half-time and when Kyle Byrnes and captain-coach Ryan Prevett crashed over inside the first 10 minutes of the second half, it was game-on at 24-22.

But despite an often ill-disciplined performance, CYMS were able to hold on, with late tries to Clarke and Terawhiti Cooper following an error from Byrnes in clearing a ball in-goal sealing a gripping win in a match befitting of an elimination final.

Gibson conceded he had "never felt so much pressure heading into a game" following his side's eight-point win.

"They had absolutely nothing to lose here.

“They weren't expected to win.

“We'd beaten them three times and flogged them twice," he said.