Central came from behind and then held on to claim a 28-24 victory over Wests in a cracking afternoon contest at Harker Oval on Sunday.
The Butcher Boys turned a 10-4 first-half deficit into a 28-14 lead by midway through the second half, but conceded two tries in the final 15 minutes as the Rosellas came charging back.
But the home side couldn't find another try and fell agonisingly short, again, of knocking off one of the competition's top sides.
Central remained in third behind South Newcastle following the win, while Wests' finals hopes are all but dead.
The Rosellas would likely have to win all of their remaining seven games and need the sides above them to have a string of losses to be a hope of making the top five.
Wests came into the game having found some form in recent weeks, winning two of their past three games, and they took an early 10-4 lead at Harker Oval after winger Patrick Achurch ran in back-to-back tries.
But Central's Fletcher Kennedy and Cameron Anderson would score before halftime and then Dominic Murphy and Randall Briggs after the break to allow Central to hit the front and establish a lead that proved big enough to defend.
In the other Sunday game, Macquarie smashed The Entrance 50-0 in one of two huge scorelines in the round to remain in fourth position.
A day earlier, Cessnock beat Kurri Kurri by the same score. The Bulldogs had 13 players unavailable prior to the game and fielded a largely makeshift side at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground.
"I know they were missing a few but we had four or five out as well," Cessnock coach Harry Siejka said.
"It's sort of the story of everyone's season at the moment. We made the best of what we had. Our defence has been really good the past few weeks but our attack really come to light there on the weekend."
Prior to the shutout victory, Cessnock had conceded only 16 points in their past two games and have now won three straight.
"I'm more pleased with that than the 50 points we scored," Siejka said.
One of the form sides in the competition, the fifth-placed Goannas play their next four games at home.
But they will likely be without winger Honeti Tuha for some of their upcoming games after he suffered a hamstring injury.
In the other Saturday games, South Newcastle defeated Wyong 32-10 at Morry Breen Oval, avenging a loss to the Roos earlier in the season. The Lions ran in five unanswered tries to lead 26-0 before Wyong posted their first points - a try midway through the second half.
"After losing last week in a tight one, it was good to get a win," South Newcastle coach Andrew Ryan said.
Lions prop Brendon Simpson bagged a double, as did winger Reeve Howard.
"Brendon doesn't get too many. He was making breaks and all. It was his best game in a long while," Ryan said.
League leaders Maitland got back to their winning ways with a 28-10 victory over Lakes United at Matiland No.1 Sportsground.
