Canberra have bounced back to the NRC winners' circle with a nail-biting one-point win over Brisbane City after nerveless halfback Ryan Lonergan potted a long-range penalty to seal a 36-35 victory.
The Vikings were a different side to the one that capitulated to Queensland Country in the second half last week, holding out repeated attacking raids from the visitors to maintain a lead into the final quarter of the match.
But Brisbane hit the lead inside the final 10 minutes after a pair of converted tries and seemed set to snatch a late victory until Lonergan stepped up.
After a Toni Pulu try handed them a 12-point lead at the break, the Vikings conceded an early second-half try before restoring their buffer when centre Tom Wright crossed in the 50th minute.
But City looked to charge their way back into the game and when the Vikings lost Junior Wallaby Bo Abra to a yellow card in the 65th minute, they were under enormous pressure before Lonergan's late conversion saved the day.
In a match that started as an arm wrestle, the Vikings twice kicked for the corner after penalties in the 15th and 17th minutes rather than take the points on offer.
While they were held up over the line on the first occasion, they made the most of their second chance, with Blake Enever's catch in the lineout starting a rolling maul from which Tom Ross crossed for the opening try of the match.
It broke the dam wall for the Vikings, with Luke Gersekowski crossing just three minutes later, the flanker lurking on the fringes to capitalise on a three-on-one overlap created after flyhalf Noah Lolesio made a break down the right side of the field.
Down 14-0, City hit back with a try to Reds hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa to get themselves back in the match midway through the first half.
But the visitors suffered a blow when they lost experienced prop Ruan Smith to injury, with Gersekowski sent to the bin leaving the Vikings a man down.
It proved little impediment for them though, with a Toni Pulu tackle forcing the ball loose from the grasp of Brisbane lock Brad Kapa and the Vikings embarking on a raid that ended with a try to Andy Muirhead.
City eventually made the most of their advantage pushing over for a penalty try after opting for a scrum from a penalty deep in Canberra's territory.
It brought them within a converted try but Pulu pushed the lead out to 12 at the break when he managed to plant the ball over the line despite the attention of two defenders looking to roll him and wrap up the pill.
The visitors clawed their way back within five points early in the second half though after they were first to score when Teti Tela chased through to dive on a perfectly weighted grubber from Isaac Lucas.
But City were their own worst enemies, turning the ball over from a knock-on, with the Vikings eventually scoring through centre Tom Wright to extend their lead to 33-21 after Ryan Longergan's successful conversion.
With Canberra seemingly on top, Brisbane hit back to take the lead inside the final 10 minutes after a pair of tries to Paenga-Amosa and Tuaina Tualima, with Isaac Lucas slotting both conversions.
Brisbane looked to have sealed the win when Hunter Paisami charged to the line but he was ruled to have been held up, the Vikings finding some relief with the resulting goal-line dropout.
A nerveless penalty shot from Lonergan restored the Vikings' lead and they ensured the win when Pete Samu and Darcy Swain combined to cut down Lucas and pilfer the ball after a dangerous break from the City flyhalf.
RESULT
Canberra Vikings 36
Tries: Ross, Gersekowski, Muirhead, Pulu, Wright
Cons: Ryan Lonergan 4
Pens: Lonergan
Yellow card: Gersekowski 27', Abra 65'
Brisbane City 35
Tries: Paenga-Amosa 2, Penalty try, Tela, Tualima
Cons: Lucas 4
