The table-topping Northern Pride showed their class in the crucial moments to register a 36-16 win over Easts Tigers at Barlow Park last night.
However, despite the final margin on the scoreboard, the match was somewhat in the balance midway through the second half.
Ahead 24-6 with 15 minutes to play, the Pride looked to be home and hosed but were given a fright by the visitors.
Tigers winger Maeli Seve brought the contest to life with back-to-back acrobatic finishes in the left-hand corner to reduce the deficit to 24-16.
However, on the back of some ill-timed errors, the Pride made the Tigers pay when Justin Castellaro stretched his team's lead to 14 points.
It capped off a strong game for the winger, who also slotted six from six with the boot.
Bench utility Stephen Snitch then iced the Pride's sixth win from six games in Cairns against Easts.
Earlier, the Pride opened the scoring when a break down the left hand flank was finished by veteran winger Sami Tadulala.
Starting the match in the second row, Leon Panapa got the reward for an enthusiastic start when he leveled the scores at 6-all with a barge-over try from dummy half in the 18th minute.
In a first half that was played largely through the middle, the Pride the regained the lead via Davin Crampton, who bucked the forward-orientated trend by stepping through some flimsy defence on the fringe.
The Pride started the second stanza on the front foot and surged to a 24-6 advantage on the back of tries to Blake Leary and skipper Ty Williams.
They now face Wynnum Manly at home, while the Tigers will look to rebound against Souths Logan.
NORTHERN PRIDE 36 (Justin Castellaro, Ty Williams, Semi Tadulala, Blake Leary, Davin Crampton, Stephen Snitch tries; Justin Castellaro 6 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 16 (Maeli Seve 2, Leon Panapa tries; Cody Walker 2 goals) at Barlow Park.
However, despite the final margin on the scoreboard, the match was somewhat in the balance midway through the second half.
Ahead 24-6 with 15 minutes to play, the Pride looked to be home and hosed but were given a fright by the visitors.
Tigers winger Maeli Seve brought the contest to life with back-to-back acrobatic finishes in the left-hand corner to reduce the deficit to 24-16.
However, on the back of some ill-timed errors, the Pride made the Tigers pay when Justin Castellaro stretched his team's lead to 14 points.
It capped off a strong game for the winger, who also slotted six from six with the boot.
Bench utility Stephen Snitch then iced the Pride's sixth win from six games in Cairns against Easts.
Earlier, the Pride opened the scoring when a break down the left hand flank was finished by veteran winger Sami Tadulala.
Starting the match in the second row, Leon Panapa got the reward for an enthusiastic start when he leveled the scores at 6-all with a barge-over try from dummy half in the 18th minute.
In a first half that was played largely through the middle, the Pride the regained the lead via Davin Crampton, who bucked the forward-orientated trend by stepping through some flimsy defence on the fringe.
The Pride started the second stanza on the front foot and surged to a 24-6 advantage on the back of tries to Blake Leary and skipper Ty Williams.
They now face Wynnum Manly at home, while the Tigers will look to rebound against Souths Logan.
NORTHERN PRIDE 36 (Justin Castellaro, Ty Williams, Semi Tadulala, Blake Leary, Davin Crampton, Stephen Snitch tries; Justin Castellaro 6 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 16 (Maeli Seve 2, Leon Panapa tries; Cody Walker 2 goals) at Barlow Park.
