That summed up Forbes' performance in Sunday's Western Youth League semi-final.

The Magpies came from behind to defeat a spirited Parkes Spacemen outfit 16-6 and secure a grand final date with Dubbo CYMS but the performance wasn't the type many have come to expect from a Forbes junior side.

There was plenty of errors and penalties, a sin-binning, and just generally a flat feeling around the side but captain Jack Hartwig knows it matters little now the decider spot in confirmed.

"We started really slow and we didn't have much energy and Parkes was really ready for the game," Hartwig said after the win.

"They got the jump on us but credit goes to the boys because we slowly dragged ourselves back into the game and got the win.

"It wasn't the performance we wanted to put in a but a win is a win."

With CYMS players watching on after defeating Bathurst St Pat's earlier in the day, it was the Spacemen who scored the first points as inspirational skipper and back-rower Cody Crisp powered his way over.

But Crisp left the game following a head knock soon after and it was one of the key moments as he didn't return.

"That was big for us," Parkes coach Sam Dwyer said.

"It's not just his defence and attack but his voice out there and presence. All the boys look up to him and he leads by example but the boys who went on after him didn't let us down."

Parkes led 6-0 after the first quarter but Forbes wrestled back the lead in the second term and tries for fullback Darcy Leadbitter and a barnstorming Hartwig, dragging defenders over the line on a powerful fifth tackle charge, put the Magpies up 10-6.

Both sides were guilty of throwing a host of forward passes throughout the game and a handling error from the Spacemen five minutes into the second half led to Forbes extending the lead.

A slick right-to-left move was finished by winger Coby Ryan and Matt Noakes nailed the sideline conversion.

That proved to be the final points as Forbes hung on late despite having Toby Denyer sin-binned during one of the handful of heated moments in the derby battle.

Next up for the Magpies is CYMS and Hartwig knows his side needs to go up a level or two if it wants to be crowned premiers.

"Just our consistency," the skipper said of what needs to be better.

"It's about getting our starts right. There's been a few times in this comp we've started slow and put ourselves under the pump so we need to get a good start and hold it for the rest of the game."

FORBES MAGPIES 16 (Darcy Leadbitter, Jack Hartwig, Colby Ryan tries; Matt Noakes 2 goals) defeated PARKES SPACEMEN 6 (Cody Crisp try, Jamarra Goolagong goal)