[Source: Super Rugby.com]

Hunting their third win for the season, the Perth side showed their grit to stay in the fight against the Wellington outfit in the regional city.

They scored five second-half tries – a 79th-minute effort by reserve playmaker Jake Strachan securing a valuable bonus point for the Force.

The Hurricanes then kept the ball alive as they tried to claw back the bonus point but five minutes into overtime Force speedster Zach Kibirige dotted down at the other end.

The Hurricanes, who leapfrogged the Brumbies into the second spot on the ladder on the back of the win, were missing Ardie Savea with the All Blacks ace rested from the clash.

But they didn’t skip a beat early on, racing to a 14-0 lead after seven minutes with backrowers Du’Plessis Kirifi and Brayden Iose touching down.

The second one came from a lineout with a short throw by Dane Coles landing back in his arms with the hooker darting down the short side before finding No.8 Iose.

The Force hit back in the ninth minute when their patience was rewarded with lock Jeremy Williams crashing over after nine phases.

Test veteran Coles himself claimed the home side’s third try from a lineout drive before a second try by Iose pushed the margin out to 26-7 by halftime.

With errors and penalties hurting the Force, the Hurricanes were first on the scoreboard in the second half with centre Bailyn Sullivan touching down.

The visitors continued to rally, with halfback Gareth Simpson scrambling across the line after a surging run by his centre Bayley Kuenzle.

Simpson also had a hand in Kibirige’s first try, with the winger beating three defenders to take a pin-point kick into the in-goal.

The Force lost fullback Chase Tiatia to a yellow card for cynical play and while the Hurricanes took advantage almost immediately through reserve hooker Hame Faiva, the West Australians also scored, Siosifa Amone picking up the points.

While the margin was too big to peg back, the West Australians can at least return home with some confidence after pushing the home side with their late surge.