FIFTEEN years, one month and eight days.

That’s how long it had been, prior to Sunday, since Blayney tasted victory in a Group 10 premier league finals match - 5517 days to be exact.

The Bears romped home in Sunday’s top grade elimination final, winning 37-10, in the club’s first post-season win since the turn of the century when Blayney defeated Orange CYMS 18-6 in the qualifying final at King George Oval on July 16, 2000.

The Bears finished third that year, but, upsettingly for the town and the competition, it was the last time the Bears played in top grade until 2013, when they won the wooden spoon.

They followed it up with the wooden spoon in 2014 as well.

But thanks to some shrewd off-season recruitment and a wealth of hard work from a plethora of committed souls, the Bears have finally re-established themselves as competition heavyweights in 2015.

And in Blayney skipper Dane Howarth’s eyes, Sunday’s win was about more than just keeping his side’s season alive. 

He said it was about somewhat repaying anyone, and everyone, who had put their time and effort into helping the Bears back to the top end of the Group 10 ladder.

GALLERY: BLayney Bears v Bathurst St Pat's

“For the club it really is huge,” Howarth beamed after the win.

“The whole club, our secretary, president, committee, volunteers, they work around the clock to help us players out, and really help us out.

“They organise us, get us to the physios and help keep us on the paddock, they really do a lot for us.

“And the town too, you only have to be at King George for a home game to see how the fans get behind us. It [was] the same [on Sunday].”

Despite the conditions - King George Oval was hit by a downpour that had a number of fans calling Noah to rent his ark for the day - the Blayney faithful turned out in force to see the Bears march on.

Thanks to the win, Blayney will finish inside the top four in season 2015, although Howarth says his side is gunning to go much deeper into the finals series, and that starts with Mudgee this weekend.

“We’ll go back at have a big week of training in the lead up,” Howarth said.

“[Sunday] is the first game everyone has pulled through without injury too, which is great.”

Blayney travels to Mudgee’s Glen Willow Sporting Complex on Sunday to take on the Dragons in the minor semi-final.