A slow start by the Force saw the Brumbies take a substantial lead in the first twenty minutes, hampering efforts as the home team fought hard to stay in the match.
The Brumbies were quick off the mark with Andy Muirhead breaking through the defensive line to set up Ryan Lonergan with the first try just over one minute into the game. Lonergan was successful with the conversion.
Adding the first Force points on the board, Ian Prior delivered a penalty goal after a Brumbies transgression.
Still, just under 10 minutes in the game, the Brumbies were unrelenting and meters away from their second try before Muirhead crossed the line. Lonergan, whose huge work rate set up the try, couldn’t deliver the conversion with a kick to the right of the posts.
The Brumbies added extra points to the lead when Len Ikitau set up fullback Tom Banks for a try. Once again, with Lonergan conversion was unsuccessful.
In what was a momentum switching moment for the Force, the club was awarded a Penalty Try after Toni Pulu was deemed to have been dangerously tackled by Banks. With the Brumbies full back receiving a red card, the opposition was down to 14 men.
Not wasting any time, Jake McIntyre set up homegrown talent Kyle Godwin for a try under the posts, with Prior successfully converting.
The Brumbies were quick to reply, with Ikitau setting up yet another try as Muirhead went over the line. This time, Lonergan was successful with the conversion.
But it was the Force to finish the scoring in the first half as full back Jake Strachan charged down a kick and chased the ball over the try line. Prior once again converted to finish the half just three points behind (24-27).
The Force came out determined to perform in the second half, but it was the Brumbies with Jahrome Brown diving over for a try.
After persisting play from the Canberra side, in what could be the try of the game, Fijian winger Manasa Mataele intercepts a Brumbies pass running almost 80 metres to score his first try for the game. Prior successful with another conversion.
With the Force in the lead for the first time in the game, the Brumbies quickly jumped back into position as Lonergan sets up Nick Frost for a try. They then followed that up with a second try as Muirhead gets over again, with Lonergan adding points from the conversion.
With the Force trailing by just 8-points, Mataele again narrowed the score as he crashed over the try line. Iceman Bayley Kuenzle successfully converted the try to bring the Force just one point behind the Brumbies.
Despite the Force’s efforts in the final minutes of the game, the team were unable to secure the win, with the Brumbies scraping by.
Western Force: Penalty Try (27') Godwin (30'), Strachan (37'), Mataele (43', 60') Conversion: Prior (31', 45’) Kuenzle (60') Penalty Goals: Prior
Brumbies: Lonergan1' Muirhead (8', 33’, 53’) Banks (16'), Frost (48') Conversions Lonergan (2', 34’, 49’) Penalty Goals: Lonergan
