The Queensland Reds have relied on Shannon Parry's smarts and a touch of New Zealand class to avoid an upset Super W loss to the Western Force.
The hosts won 29-14 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday afternoon, but only led by five points with 23 minutes to play when prop Angel Schwencke reached out to score.
Wallaroos captain Parry created some breathing space though, the flanker drifting wide once the ball was turned over then spinning neatly to score off a bullet cut-out pass from Madison Schuck.
Earlier replacement playmaker Carys Dallinger, fresh off a season with Hurricanes Poua in New Zealand's Super Rugby Aupiki, delivered a pinpoint cross-field bomb for Sam Curtis's try.
Reds coach Simon Craig delivered a halftime rocket to his side but Force winger Rachel Laqeretabua was the first to cross in the second half to give her side hope.
Curtis had the reply though to steady the ship while Reds winger Ivania Wong scored a double, her second a streaking effort with five minutes to play that sealed the contest.
"I'll take any pork pies I get these days, don't get many," Parry, who won gold with Australia's rugby sevens side in 2016, told Stan Sport of her try.
"We were a bit slow out of the blocks and the Force came to play and we were really unclear with what's going on (around the ruck) ... so need to tidy that up."
It was the Force's 13th straight loss and followed a 43-0 defeat to the NSW Waratahs last week and a spate of late outs ahead of the Reds clash.
"That was a step up from last week; we failed to convert moments into points but it's something to build on," Force skipper Trileen Pomare said.
"There's no excuses (with injury and travel). First three games (away from Perth) on the trot is definitely hard, but we have to back it up each week."
