By MARK CASHMAN

Warringah bench man Harley Attwater went from “zero” one week to “hero” the next as Warringah got their season well and truly underway with a gripping 31-28 win over Eastern Suburbs on Saturday.

Attwater had the ball knocked out of his grasp as he reached for a try in the final minutes of the loss to Randwick last weekend at Coogee but showed his cool when he kicked a vital penalty goal later in the game against the Beasts.

The heroics played out in the final moments of a thumping encounter that could quite easily have gone either way.

The win was vital for the Rats as they faced the very real possibility of starting the first month of their season without a win.

Rats head coach Mike Ruthven said his side didn’t make life easy for themselves but was impressed that that stayed in the fight and got the result.

“Yes definitely relieved to get our season underway. We didn’t make life easy for ourselves, but credit to the group for staying in the fight and finding a way to get the result.

“We started the game really well and got reward for the work we had done during the week. We got a little complacent through the middle part of the game and allowed Easts back into it, and you can’t afford to do that against good sides.

“It’s now on us to carry that momentum into a tough game next week against Gordon.

Ruthven said that Ben Marr, Ben Woollett and Mungo Mason were the best of the home side.

“Ben Marr was outstanding and was dangerous every time he touched the footy. His ability to find space is something special.

“Ben Woolet has some great involvements in the game while Mungo Mason worked hard and is showing his class each week.”

He added that Andrew Davies carried his good form from the Randwick game into this week and looks more and more comfortable every week as a first grader.

Eastern Suburbs coach Pauli Taumoepeau said the key moments in the closing stages were not taken by his side on Saturday

“It was a great game if you win I guess but we e failed down the stretch in key moments,” he said.

“ I felt we had some momentum and pressure at the right times only for our set piece to let us down.

“That said you cannot take anything away from the Rats. They delivered and executed when they needed to and got the win.

“It’s a tough place to play and I’m disappointed that we had our opportunities and didn’t take them.

“I thought Jordan Jackson-Hope was class as was Daniel Donato from the back.”

WARRINGAH 31 (Mungo Mason, Josh Holmes, Ben Woollett tries; Tom Halse 2 conversions, 2 open goals, Harley Attwater 2 pen goals) d EASTERN SUBURBS 28 (Moli Sooaemalelagi, Charlie Smith, Jordan Jackson-Hope tries; Nic Holton 2 conversions, 3 pen goals) at Pittwater Rugby Park.