A LATE try to Wallaby contender Ryan Cross has given the Western Force a much-needed 15-14 win over the Bulls at Subiaco Oval.

Bryan Habana's first-half double had put the reigning Super 14 champions in sight of their first win in a month until Matt Giteau took just two minutes of the second half to score his second try of the year.

That set up an attritional period where the Force's handling repeatedly let them down until a spilled pass that rebounded into Cross's arms put a finals berth back on the agenda for John Mitchell's men.

After conceding a try in less than a minute last week, the Force started as they should have gone on, with energy and purpose.

But the Bulls' pack put a lid on that early vitality, despite Cameron Shepherd's penalty opening the scoring on 15 minutes.

However, despite the scoreboard, the visitors were clearly dominating and Habana turned the pressure into points on 20 minutes.

It should have been wing partner Akona Ndungane to score first, if not for a miraculous Giteau cover tackle.

But seconds later, after another scrambled save from Scott Staniforth, Habana tiptoed over from Fourie Du Preez's tempting pass. Derick Hougaard added the extras.

Referee Steve Walsh was losing patience with the struggling Force forwards and Scott Fava paid the price - a yellow card for a mysterious offside on 25 minutes. The Force's kicking for touch was also wayward and Habana spilled one chance before converting another in the last minute of the half to give the Bulls a 14-3 lead.

After a first stanza trying to create for others, Giteau needed barely two minutes following the resumption to take matters into his own hands.

Nathan Sharpe's burst after several phases punched the hole for Giteau to squirm over. Hougaard's replacement by Morne Steyn after half-time sacrificed some of the Bulls' direction, while Troy Takiari's introduction to the Force front row gave the home side extra beef.

But while the Force improved territorially, their handling and kicking did not. Shepherd's point-blank penalty miss with 20 minutes to go didn't help either, but his side kept the Bulls on the back foot and a yellow to G.J.Stegmann with five minutes to go increased the pressure.

Yet it seemed the Bulls would hold out until Matt Hodgson's pass bounced off Luke Holmes's shoulder into the arms of Cross who stole a crucial five-pointer with seconds left.