With both sides having recorded strong wins in the competitions two opening rounds, the match was expected to be a quality affair and it delivered as the result went right down to the wire, as the Gorillas missed three late penalty goals as they looked to escape with a draw.

It was a penalty goal that opened the scoring, with Warilla half Emmanuel Sultana giving the visitors an early 2-nil lead.

The Lions had the better of the running after Sultana’s goal, but couldn’t manage to find a way through the Gorillas’ defence.

After that period of strong defence it looked like Warilla would extend their lead when Ian Catania stormed through a gap, but Aaron Henry’s pass to his centre was ruled forward by the touch judge.

With both sides keen to keep their unbeaten records intact, there was plenty of feeling in defence and restarts became common occurrence as the ball was jolted loose.

It was a loose ball that put Gerringong on the attack next.

Rixon Russell swooped on a dropped pass and linked up with Toby Gumley-Quine.

Desperate cover defence by Mark Walsh bought the Lions’ centre down, however the Warilla lock earned himself a stint in the sin-bin.

The Lions took quick advantage of Walsh’s absence and fullback Matt Winchester strolled over of a clever play around the ruck.

Joel Roberts hit the upright with his conversion attempt and the score stood 4-2.

It looked like the Lions would take that slim lead into the break until Henry made the most of a late opportunity and muscled his way over on the left fringe to allow his side to take 6-4 lead into the break.

Things looked promising for the Lions immediately after the resumption of play when Winchester swooped on his short kick off to gain possession, however it was the Gorillas who struck first.

Just as it looked like the Lions would regain the lead, Warilla winger Jordan Harty produced a length of the field intercept try to put Gerringong on the back foot.

Sultana knocked over the conversion to put the lead out to eight at 12-4.

That lead would stand until Warilla put the pressure on themselves with some ill-discipline.

Nick King was the second Gorilla to earn a stint in the sin-bin and the Lions again struck with the one man advantage.

The Lions’ quick men out of dummy-half put them on the attack before Nathan Ford broke through on the left.

The Gerringong prop found Roberts in support who then sent Gumley-Quine over in the corner to bring the lead to 12-8 with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Things then went from bad to worse for Warilla as Walsh was sent-off by referee Paul Lees for dissent and Gerringong soon pegged the visitors back

After some scrambling cover defence had kept him out twice before, rookie Gerringong winger Harry Phillips dived over in the corner to level the scores.

With 12 to go to the Lions regained the lead, as Jake Taylor knocked over a penalty goal from around 30 metres out.

After holding the Gorillas out with some desperate defence, it looked like some ill-discipline would cost the Lions, however Sultana couldn’t capitalise on two penalty attempts from just right of the posts.

While the Lions breathed a sigh of relief after those two shots, they weren’t completely out of the woods as the Gorillas were awarded another penalty right as time expired. Chad Lisch took over the kicking duties from Sultana, however the Warilla fullback couldn’t knock over the tough chance and Gerringong held on for a tough fought win.

For the Lions, Winchester, Ford and Kal Collins had strong games, while Henry, Andrew Diomei and Damien Paullissen were the Gorillas’ best