Reds 26-40 Force: Force up to third in Australian conference
Last Updated: 26/05/17 3:42pm
The Force moved up to third in the Australian Conference with a 40-26 win over the Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Both sides scored four tries each with Ross Haylett-Petty, Marcel Brache, Tatafu Polota-Nau and a penalty try going the way of the Force.
The Reds relied on tries from Duncan Paia'aua, Lukhan Tui and two for Stephen Moore but the boot let them down and former Springboks fly-half Peter Grant kicked four penalties and three conversions to account for 18 of the Force's points.
It was a good start for the home side as Paia'aua went over within five minutes but fly-half Quade Cooper could not add the extras. They continued to impress and should have scored their second but for a last-ditch tackle from Grant who managed to hold Nick Frisby up over the try line before carrying him over the dead-ball line.
Grant gave the Force the lead with two penalties before flanker Haylett-Petty scored just before half-time. Grant converted to give the visitors a 13-5 lead at half-time.
The Reds hit back straight away in the second half when lock Tui went over and the conversion from Cooper made it 12-13.
Frisby was then sent to the sin-bin after trying to kick the ball out of Michael Ruru's hands as he tried to score and the Force were awarded a penalty try.
Grant made the score 23-12 with another penalty before the Reds hit back with two pushover tries through Moore to give them a 26-23 lead with twenty minutes to go.
However, this galvanised the visitors who took total control of the game by scoring 19 unanswered points as Brache went over before Polota-Nau sealed the win with his try off the back of a driving maul.