It's lucky the first-year John I Dent Cup coach doesn't have hair. He would have been tearing it out as the finally tally moved closer to 15 as time ticked away on Saturday afternoon.

Who'd want to be a coach? Missed lineout targets, a player in the sin bin and errors when the ball eventually makes it out to the back line.

Then, just as the sun disappeared behind the Michael O'Connor Stand at Phillip, Butt got his answer. All of a sudden it clicked for Wests with three minutes to go and a wild celebrations followed Ryan Kiely's winning try.

The win against Royals 24-22 was a bittersweet moment for Butt. He spent 22 years playing for Royals before moving to the other side of town for a first-grade coaching chance.

"We got the [lineout] that counted," Butt said, letting out a sigh of relief while players cheered in the background.

"By my count, we lost eight or line but it's more to be honest. I stopped counting ... we were our own worst enemy at times.

"It's nice to win, it doesn't matter who it's against. Royals have given me so much ... I played for 22 years here and I love the place. But I've moved to Wests now ... that's how rugby goes. Hopefully I can do them proud."

The two-point triumph means Royals are the only team yet to win a game in the coronavirus-shortened season.

The defending premiers have lost three from three, but they've been in a position to win all of them which is why coach Wayne Southwell was so disappointed after another missed chance.

"It doesn't come much more disappointing. We can't follow a game plan and I'm pretty critical about that and we couldn't just hit it up straight," Southwell said.

"We gave away soft penalties. We're close at getting it right, but close isn't good enough. There are patches that are really good, then there are patches where we do things I've never seen before.

"We've got to suck it up, move forward. It's a sign of character from here on."

Royals led Wests 15-3 in the first half and then 22-10 with fewer than 20 minutes left in the match. It appeared they would cruise to their first win of the year when Lincoln Smith scored, with Wests struggled to hold the ball long enough to build any sort of pressure.

But Wests weren't willing to roll over. Komiti Tuilagi powered over from close range to cut the margin and lock Kiely did the same in the 77^th minute to edge ahead.

Butt, the Brumbies' Super W coach, is stepping into the Wests role vacated by Craig Robberds, who finished after 24 years at the club as a player and coach.

Young guns like Lachlan Alberts and Tony Alofipo are getting their chance, while Brodie Leber, Kiely and TP Luteru are the links to the past.

"It's good to get on the board. We've got a new and young team, but we make no excuses. We've been in the first three games so I'm glad to get that one," Butt said.

"You probably need four or five wins to make the finals this year, and if you get them in early it helps. This is a small step for hopefully doing something more."

The short season makes every game important in the race for four finals spots. The Uni-Norths Owls beat Queanbeyan to remain unbeaten, while Tuggeranong came from behind to snatch a two-point win against the Gungahlin Eagles.

AT A GLANCE

John I Dent Cup: WESTS 24 (Declan Meredith, Komiti Tuilagi, Ryan Kiely tries; Declan Meredith 3 conversions, penalty) bt ROYALS 22 (Ben Johnston, Rory Scott, Lincoln Smith tries; Pedro Rolando 2 conversions, penalty); TUGGERANONG VIKINGS 22 bt GUNGAHLIN EAGLES 20; UNI-NORTHS OWLS 35 bt QUEANBEYAN WHITES 0