MANY spectators at Mittagong Sportsground would have expected a closer match on Sunday.

It was a much anticipated local derby between the under-18 Mittagong and Moss Vale sides.

Both had plenty to play for but the home team proved to be too strong and finished with a 30-0 win.

Jordan Powell and Brayden Boaden both scored two tries while Jerome Willis also crossed late in the second half.

Hooker Jack Keely kicked three conversions with Powell and Nick Eccleston also kicking one each.

Both teams were down on numbers, missing key players due to injury.

But a change in attitude from the young Lions was the difference in the match.

"We didn't become better players overnight. We just turned up with the right attitude. We wanted to be out there today and it showed," Mittagong coach Robbie Payne said.

"The things I've been stressing are just hold the ball and no stupid penalties, which they did."

The Lions were without regular halves Jack Payne and Josh Bergamin but Payne said he was impressed with under-16 player Eccleston's performance at halfback.

"It's good for them (under-16 players) because they get the experience but it's good for us because we need the numbers. Without them we wouldn't have played.

"Nick Eccleston, he led the boys around really well and he's one of the younger kids. Jerome Willis also had his best game for two years."

It was a crucial match for Moss Vale to win as it seeks to stay in touch with the top teams ahead of the finals.

While it was far from the result the Dragons hoped for, coach Andrew Bowie said it was an improvement on last week's performance against Thirlmere.

"We played a bit better than we did last week. We didn't have our full side and guys were playing in different positions so I wasn't too disappointed in them," he said.

"We really needed to win today to stay alive. We'll just have to try and take it week by week, get the guys back on the paddock (from injury) and somehow just try to keep them motivated."

It was the same old story for the Dragons as players switched off at critical times during the match.

"We get disinterested and drop our bundle and it ends up costing us 12 points until we snap out of it," Bowie said.

The result left Mittagong in second place, three points behind competition leaders Camden.

Moss Vale sits in seventh spot with four points.

The Lions will take on Narellan this weekend while Moss Vale faces Thirlmere.