Force 22 Chiefs 21
WESTERN FORCE found some much needed confidence last night - and a potential back line superstar in James O'Connor - as they pipped the Chiefs in a Super 14 thriller at Subiaco Oval.
Established Wallaby Matt Giteau slotted a penalty after the siren to keep the Force's slim semi-finals hopes alive. But, making his run-on debut at just 17 years of age, O'Connor belied his inexperience and diminutive frame with a big performance.
The youngster was great in defence and attack and set up the third Force try for James Stannard after early tries to Matt Hodgson and Drew Mitchell.
Second-half tries to Lelia Masaga and Stephen Donald, and a field goal to Callum Bruce put the Chiefs in sight of a sixth successive win until Giteau changed all that.
Having won just one of their last four outings, Force coach John Mitchell made wholesale changes, including elevating O'Connor and recalling Hodgson into an unaccustomed No. 8 role.
It was Hodgson who made the earliest impact, charging down Jamie Nutbrown's defensive clearance to plunge over.
But after another Force prospect Kieran Longbottom was given his debut following an horrendous thumb injury to Pek Cowan, it was O'Connor who showed why he has already been compared to Tim Horan and Giteau.
Mitchell's try on 11 minutes put the Chiefs on the back foot, with their natural fluency - and Donald's place kicking - both astray.
Trailing 14-3 at half-time and with their finals ambitions sinking, it took just two minutes of the second half for Sitiveni Sivivatu's step and offload to put two Force defenders out of the equation, with a raking pass finding Lelia Masaga out wide.
That set up an amazing second half, with O'Connor showing his class, the Chiefs showing their desperation and the Force showing the fight that they'd lacked in recent weeks. Inside the last 20 minutes, O'Connor's step and break led to Stannard's first Super 14 try.
But, from the next phase, Masaga topped O'Connor's midfield break with a fabulous stepping run, allowing Donald to stroll under the posts.
Donald's penalty five minutes later reduced the deficit to one, prompting a crazy closing passage. With Nick Cummins and Troy Takiari laid out injured, the Chiefs somehow failed to score until Bruce's sweet strike with three minutes remaining.
But the Force would not lie down, with bursts from Cameron Shepherd and Sitaleki Timani putting the home side within range, Shepherd eventually diving over in the corner.
Referee Marius Jonker disallowed the try due to a knock-on, but a penalty advantage for an earlier offside allowed Giteau to slot the winner.
WESTERN FORCE 22 (Matt Hodgson, Drew Mitchell, James Stannard tries; Matt Giteau 2 cons, pen) beat CHIEFS 21 (Lelia Masaga, Stephen Donald tries; Donald 2 pens, con, Callum Bruce con). Referee: Marius Jonker (RSA). Crowd: 21,549.
