Stannies halfback Judd Kerrison scored the only try of the match off the back of a rolling maul after 22 minutes, while Yool Yool landed the conversion and a second-half penalty goal as both sides battled to retain possession at a freezing and water-logged Kinross Wolaroi School Main Oval.

Kinross’ scrum dominated but the kicking game of Stannies halves Kerrison and Josh Hardie ultimately proved the difference, pinning the two blues in their own half for the majority of the game.

A 15-6 penalty count against the home side – it was 10-1 in the second half alone – didn’t help Kinross’ cause either.

Stannies coach Bruno Rossitt lauded the work of his midfield, centres Jack Veitch and Nick Smith continually pushing the navy blue and whites over the advantage line, while Hunter Ward and Jerome Arrow were sensational at the breakdown.

“It’s a tough match down here,” Rossitt said, the two sides boasting a storied country schoolboy rugby rivalry.

“We knew they’d be tough, particularly in the forwards, and they certainly did put us under pressure at the scrums and lineout.

“It was just a matter of playing percentage football, certainly in the opposition’s half.

“We managed to get enough ball to push it down there and play for those mistakes. We got those, scored a good try and managed to hold on for the win.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though.

Kinross opened the scoring in the 13th minute when sharp-shooting winger Nathanael Vazouras nudged home a penalty attempt from just to the left of the posts, 22 metres out, to give the hosts an early 3-0 buffer.

That lead was short-lived, though, as Kerrison plucked the ball off the back of a rolling maul to score out wide for Stannies eight minutes later, Yool’s conversion gifting the visitors a four-point lead with 13 minutes to play before half-time.

The rest of the game was littered with spilt ball punctuated by the odd phase of entertaining rugby.

Yool extended Stannies’ lead to seven points with a successful penalty attempt five minutes into the second half – a time when his side was down to 14 men after Veitch copped a yellow card late in the first half for a poor challenge off the ball.

Ten minutes later, Kinross enjoyed their best attacking period of the game, their pack ominously driving the ball forward.

But a turnover within inches of the tryline was compounded by another poor challenge, this time from Charlie Mortimer, who earned a yellow card for a late hit on Stannies fullback Yool.

It was Kinross’ best hope of snatching a result and it was denied by some desperate scrambling defence and clinical work at the breakdown.

“We had probably six or seven phases down on their line and to Stannies’ credit they counter-rucked and took that ball off us ... those little moments, you’ve got to convert those otherwise you’re not in the contest,” Kinross coach Huon Barrett said.

“We said before the game whoever makes the least amount of mistakes will probably win .. and I think their ball-

carriers carried the ball strongly and didn’t turn it over, whereas we did a couple of times.

“Having said that, two teams went pretty hard at it and 10-3 is the score; it’s a tough encounter.”

Stannies have now emerged as one of the form sides of the ISA competition and will head to Strathfield to take on St Patrick’s, looking for a top of the table spot.