A fitful Friday night match turned into a dramatic affair tonight at Kings Park as Kowloon claimed a satisfying first win of the Old Mutual International Premiership season by beating Societe Generale Valley 20-18 in extra time. The last time the two sides met on the same ground was in last year’s Grand Championship finale, a 21-13 loss for the home side.

Kowloon would have certainly been eyeing the opportunity as they matched a forward pack laden with Hong Kong internationals against a Valley side limping into the encounter with ten first side players out due to injury or Hong Kong duty.

Both clubs exchanged some blows from the outset with Kowloon converting a penalty in the 2ndminute - slotted by fly-half Scott Sneddon – to take the early advantage.

They nearly added to their leadminutes later but what looked like a certain intercept try from centre Lewis Warner was derailed by some hustling defence when Valley winger and Hong Kong age grade star Hugo Chui stripped Warner of the ball beneath the sticks.

Chui took full advantage of his opportunity to run with the ones tonight, adding to his try-saving tackle with a try of his own later in the half and turning up another vital tackle in dispossessing Kowloon wing Tomasi Lawa of the ball in the second half.

Kowloon’s reversal of fortunes was exacerbated minute later when Sneddon had his clearance kick charged down metres in front of his own try-line. The ball landed in the hands of Valley centre Taumafai Komiti who easily finished off the try, his third across the opening two rounds of the Premiership. Captain Matt Rosslee added the conversion to complete what was effectively a 14-point swing in the game, taking their first lead 7-3 in the 9th minute.

A frustrated Kowloon took a while to find its stride again as Valley pressed its advantage, forcing a Kowloon within Rosslee’s considerable range in the 15th minute as Valley swung its lead to 10-3.

Valley were soon on the attack again, this time putting theexperienced Kowloon pack under pressure with an attacking scrum on the hosts’ five metres. The Valley shove was effective, forcing defending lock Lee Griffiths to resort to some professionalism as he was sin-binned for collapsing the scrum.

With the man advantage the crowd was expecting the eight-man shove, including Valley scrumhalf Ruan Duplooy who was caught off guard as the ball came shooting out of channel one into the Valley backfield. Another near intercept for Kowloon was spoiled by a knock-on giving Valley a chance to reset its attack 15 metres out from its opponents try-line.

This time they finished cleanly, controlling the ball at the base of the scrum before some quick hands from Rossleeput Chui clear in the corner for Valley’s second try. Rosslee’s conversion was wide but Valley looked to be amassing an unassailable leadafter 15 unanswered points.

But the hosts rallied nicely across the final ten minutes, coming away with their first try of the game after Sneddon put winger Chris Kinlock over for the score in the 35th minute. Sneddon’s strike from along the sideline was a master-class in the art of goal-kicking as Kowloon closed the deficit to15-10 with five minutes remaining.

Kowloon nearly snuck across for what could have been a pivotal try shortly before half-time but turned the ball over on a knock-on at the Valley five-metre line. Rosslee’s clearance kick brought on half-time with the game in the balance and the stage set for a dramatic final forty minutes.

Kowloon’s rally looked to be short-lived after they conceded a penaltyon the opening kick-off, leading to Rosslee slottinghis second goal of the night to extend the visitors lead to 18-10 after 41 minutes.

With his teammate’s heads threatening to dip further,Warner redeemed himself for his first half gaffe with a pretty solo try as he came blazing into the line to finish with a 40-metre sprint, outpacing Komiti to cross over in the 47th minute. Sneddon’s conversion brought Kowloon to within a point at 18-17.

What was shaping up to be a wide open match was nearly derailed after Rosslee was surprisingly issued a red-carded followinga seemingly inconsequential fracas after the re-start.

With Kowloon handed a man advantage for the final 30 minutes it seemed as if the game would quickly go off the rails, but Valley mounted a sensational rearguard effort over the final quarter to make for a dramatic contest. The visitors continued to press their attack and despite being a man down very nearly scored in the 60th minute, after a shellacking series of phase possession on the Kowloon line came unstuck by a knock-on.

With Valley seemingly nonplussed by their numerical disadvantage, the last quarter was played between the two 22-metre lines with both teams enjoying chances in the flowing exchange. Continuity was missing on both sides as the humid conditions and slippy ball prevented either side from sealing the win.

Despite numerous chances for both benches, the score was stuck at 18-17 as regulation time expired. In injury time, Kowloon forced a massive turnover in their own half to return to the attack. A scrambling Valley defence were penalized at the ruck setting up apenalty opportunity for Kowloon 47 metres out.

With Sneddon subbed off it was a chance for reserve back Michael Hanning to be the hero and he proved up to the task, coolly slotting the 47-metre penalty to give Kowloona 20-18 lead after 84 minutes.

The excitement was not over yet however, as Kowloon reserve prop Dave Wong knocked on at the restart turning the ball back over to Valley in the hosts’ half. Valley methodically worked the ball up field, keeping it in their forwards in a steady march to the Kowloon 22, before loosing it to a backline that was rapidly queuing up for the last-gasp attempt at a win.

Despite being lined up for an easy drop goal, Valley stuck to its pick and go approach, putting in 21 phases on the Kowloon line as the clock ticked down. Eventually the pressure proved unsustainable for Kowloon as a mass of red black jerseys put Valley prop Ben Higgins over the line with ball in hand in the 88th minute.

But the Kowloon defence was up to the test in the final analysis, as they managed to get beneath Higgins, holding him up over the line as time expired on a memorable victory for the ‘Loon at home.

The exciting result capped a fascinating encounter and both coaches will have both highs and lows in their side’s efforts to mull over as the Premiership continues.

Kowloon’s narrow escape continued the early season thrill ride in the Old Mutual International Premiership with the four matches played to date being decided by a total of 20 points with matches still to come tomorrow between Bloomberg HK Scottish and Natixis HKFC atShek Kip Mei and Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers and Herbert Smith Freehills HKCC at King’s Park tomorrow at 4.30pm.