The Maitland Pickers ran out 20-8 winners against Western Suburbs on the back of a spirited defensive effort at Maitland Sportsground on Saturday.
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After leading 10-0 just 10 minutes into the match with tries to Will Nieuwenhieuse and Reid Alchin, the game turned and Wests dominated possession for the final 20 minutes of the first half.
The Pickers made it 12-0 with a penalty goal by Chad O'Donnell in the 23rd minute, but Wests reduced the half-time margin to eight points with an unconverted try to Patrick Achurch and Heath Gibbs cut it to just four with a try five minutes into the second half.
But despite Wests continuing to dominate possession and field position, the Pickers defence held tight and the pressure was finally broken when stand-in halfback Daniel Langbridge dived beside the posts to score the match winning try.
O'Donnell converted and added a penalty goal in the final minutes for a hard-fought 20-8 win.
Pickers coach Matt Lantry was wrapped with the the Pickers defensive efforts.
"We had to work very hard," Lantry said. "I said to the boys after the match how proud we were of the defensive effort because we had a mountain of defence to do and that sucks your effort considerably for your attacking side of the game.
"Once obviously that fuel tank gets low it's hard to throw some shots and I was relieved more than anything when we got the ball down the other end and Dan crossed the line to give us some breathing space."
The Pickers had to recast their side when Mitch Cullen was concussed and could not return.
Playing his first game of first grade since round one when he suffered a syndesmosis injury, back-rower Lincoln Smith played an extra 20 minutes more than planned and finished the game strongly.
"That felt good. I got more time than I expected, but it was good to get out there," Smith said after the match.
"I though at first that this has got a lot quicker than I remembered, but thankfully the boys told me it was the quickest game they had played all season."
Cullen will miss next week, but the Pickers will be waiting anxiously on news on whether lock Sam Anderson will need season ending surgery or whether rest will be enough to recover from a bicep injury he sustained against Cessnock and he will be available towards the end of the season.
Lantry said the club had put a real premium on winning the games Wests and Cessnock after the by and were delighted to come away with wins in both, although they were strikingly different.
"Last week against Cessnock we put a really good attacking performance in and today we clearly won the game on the back of our defence," he said.
"I was super happy with that and a quality contribution from everyone.
"They were price tag games at the mid-part of the year before we start the run home."
The Pickers maintain top spot on 19 points, one point ahead of South Newcastle who had a 46-24 win against Northern Hawks on Saturday.
Maitland are away to the ninth placed Macquarie Scorpions, next Saturday.
"It's a very close competition and anyone can win on their day. We've got the Scorps next week down there and it hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us in my time here," Lantry said.
"We'll need to put in a good performance there."
In other games this weekend, Macquarie host The Entrance and Central Newcastle are home to Kurri Kurri.
Cessnock's game against Wyong has been rescheduled to Friday, August 9. Lakes had the bye.
Memorable fight back in reserve grade
After being held scoreless in the first half, the Maitland Pickers staged a memorable second half comeback to beat Wests 34-22 in reserve grade.
The Pickers turned the game on it's head with tries to Jye Bieman-King, Jye Ireland, Jackson Shade and Jackson Eckford and some superb goal kicking by Bieman-King who kicked two side-line conversions in his four goals.
The win over the third-placed Rosellas maintained the Pickers back on top of the table on 19 points.
Souths are second on 17 points after a 16-all draw with Northern Suburbs, but have a game in hand on Maitland. Wests are third on 16 points, but have played two games fewer than the Pickers. Central are fourth on 12 and Kurri Kurri fifth on 9.
Maitland Under-19s were beaten 30-10 by Wests, with Zac Shaw and Tristand Head scoring tries.
The Pickers are third on the ladder on 14 points from nine games, two points behind Wests (eight games) and six points behind Souths (10 games).
Maitland's Women's Oporto Premiership game against Wests has been rescheduled to Wednesday, July 17, under lights at Maitland Sportsground.
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
