Wendell Sailor chip kicked effectively, Chris Latham crossed in his 100th game and Queensland triumphed but there was little else the Ballymore fans could enjoy.

The Reds scored an ugly 21-15 Super 12 victory over South Africa's Cats in a match which reflected accurately on both sides' positions near the foot of the table.

Mistakes were the order of the day but the fact they were shared evenly ensured a nail-biting finish.

The inexperienced Queensland pack defied the men from Johannesburg by weathering four 5m scrums on their line in the last two minutes to hold on.

Referee Bryce Lawrence blew two penalties as the Reds forwards buckled under the weight of the huge Cats eight and warned another transgression would mean an instant penalty try.

At his word, the shaky home scrum stabilised. Hooker Steve Moore then pulled off a tackle on an isolated Wayne Julies after the bell for a penalty and the win.

Hardly any of the Reds play would have scared traditional rivals NSW before their annual grudge match next Saturday in Sydney.

But a second successive victory gives Jeff Miller's men extra confidence and puts them one place further up the ladder to the eighth.

Miller has a worrying concern with flyhalf Elton Flatley only playing 33 minutes before being replaced due to a head knock.

Ben Tune (shoulder) and Daniel Heenan (ankle) were also casualties but are expected to be fit to play the table-topping Waratahs.

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