After going into the half-time break down 24-4, Pat’s found renewed energy through the middle of the park and in a mammoth defensive effort kept the competition leaders off the scoreboard for the final 40 minutes, winning 28-24.

The Tigers looked certain to make it eight wins to start their season before Pat’s picked up four tries in a 20-minute period during the second half to turn the game around.

Pat’s were forced to spend much of the final 10 minutes defending their own line in a nervous conclusion to the game but held firm to record their most impressive win of the season.

“We were playing well as a team, it was just individual errors letting us down in that first half. All the hard work that we’ve done in the last two weeks showed in that second half though,” St Pat’s coach Kurt Hancock said.

“At half-time they still believed they could win the footy game and they still believed in each other. We answered a few critics in Group 10 as well I think because our middles were outstanding today and I thought we won that contest in the second half.

“We did this to Cowra in the second round, almost the exact same thing. It’s got me scratching my head a little bit but I win like that can really bring a side together and kick off your season.” 

Missed tackles from Pat’s allowed the Tigers to slip through for their opening two tries of the match, scored by Zac Maher and Matt Ballinger.

That had the Tigers 12-0 up before the 12th minute and the Saints defence consistently had trouble containing Trent Rose in that time.

The hosts managed to briefly halt the momentum when a Tyson Medlyn offload allowed Nathan Lawrence to score on the right wing for an unconverted try.

When Pat’s enjoyed another set close to the Tigers’ line they blew the opportunity with a loose pass, scooped up by Abel Lefaoseu, who carried the ball into the Saints’ half.

At the end of that set Oberon dished out more pain when Matt Rose put Lefaoseu into space for an 18-4 lead.

Trent Rose was once again able to slip through the Pat’s line 12 minutes out from half-time, finding an offload to Jackson Brien who then gave the ball back inside to Ballinger for his second try of the day.

The half-time lead could have been even more after Tigers winger Tyler Hughes made an 80-metre dash, only for his opposite number Adam Morton to make a lightning quick chase from the opposite wing to bring him down just metres from the try line.

Andy Adams was sent to the sin bin for slowing down the play-the-ball on that tackle but the Saints kept the Tigers out for the five minutes either side of half-time despite being a man down.

It was the 47th minute that Pat’s began what was to be a memorable turnaround.

Medlyn and Antonio Ale both found gaps in Oberon’s left side defence to bring the score back to 24-16 before Pat’s front rower Brady Cheshire was rewarded for his strong performance with a try.

With 14 minutes to spare Pat’s front rower Daniel Bain crashed over from short range to put his side ahead for the first time.

Tigers put some spark back into their game over the final 10 minutes as they hounded the hosts try line, going close on several occasions but denied but the blue wall ahead of them. 

“They stuck to their guns in the back half and we just clocked off a bit. We went away from what we were doing. There was a bit of extra effort from them, they just kept in there and never gave up,” Tigers player-coach Zac Rowlandson said.

“We’ve got into that habit of getting in front early and we just wound it back too much, and they kept coming. They were just too good in the second half. Winning seven games and losing one is still a lot better than what we expected so we’re still sitting in a pretty good spot.”

ST PAT’S 28 (Nathan Lawrence, Tyson Medlyn, Antonio Ale, Brady Cheshire, Daniel Bain tries; Garry Reilly 4 conversions) defeated OBERON TIGERS 24 (Matt Ballinger 2, Zac Maher, Abel Lefaoseu tries; Trent Rose 4 conversions)