And their winger Steven Cummins scored four tries, but that wasn't enough either.

Instead it was the Gungahlin Bulls who came away with a last-gasp 38-34 victory in Goulburn on Sunday.

The Bulls scored in the dying minutes to pinch the win from a gutsy Bulldogs effort, which Goulburn co-coach Jesse Martin felt would stand his young team in good stead at the back end of the year.

It was a day for wingers, with both of Gungahlin's also getting among the tries - Rourke O'Sullivan scored a hat-trick and Dean Aylott got a brace.

"We were holding to a two-point lead for 15-20 minutes and then they broke us right at the end on the buzzer," Martin said.

"It's tough, but we've got a break next week and we'll go again after that.

"We've got a very young side. There's a few errors creeping in, but come later in the year we'll be ready.

"Got a lot of young boys and they're all learning so it's all good."

To make matters worse, the Bulldogs had a try disallowed just moments earlier when second-rower Matt Sherer crashed over.

Then some Goulburn ill discipline proved costly.

"We got our try disallowed and then we got a penalty for throwing the ball away," Martin said.

"They marched us down the field and scored. A bit of ill discipline and the errors creeped in today.

"Matty Sherer crashed over. It was very close, could've gone both ways."

AT A GLANCE

GUNGAHLIN BULLS 38 (R O'Sullivan 3, D Aylott 2, K Kenny, T Holten-Williams tries; L Thomson 5 goals) bt GOULBURN BULLDOGS 34 (S Cummins 4, V Winnel, T Greenwood tries; I Walker 5 goals)