lift Mariners over Teachers 23-20 in Amstel rugby league action on Sunday.

With seconds ticking away and the memory of two failed opportunities still lingering, Mariners' standoff Declan O'Laughlin's sent his 40 yard penalty kick through the posts to clinch victory.

Mariners now move into second place two points behind league leaders Police who were 19-13 victors over Renegades.

The Greens went ahead after six minutes when centre Keith Hodgkins scored a converted try, but Teachers drew level with a converted effort from full back Kevin Harris.

O'Laughlin broke the tie with a penalty but Andre Simons again evened the score with a penalty of his own.

The next scoring threat came from Teachers' skipper Alvin Harvey, whose diagonal run was scuttled some three yards from the Mariners line when right wing Darryl Bean was caught napping and was not on hand to receive the pass.

Simons added three more points with another penalty and Bean made amends for his mistake with a nifty blind side move from a scrum on the right followed by a superb turn to evade his marker.

Teachers were now 18-10 ahead, and Simons chipped in two more points by converting the try.

Mariners came storming back two minutes later. Centre Keith Beattie committed his marker and then found full back Dominic Hardy overlapping to his right.

Hardy fed stampeding winger Simon Turner who made no mistake.

Five minutes later Mariners' number eight John Flett rumbled over from close range to make it 20-20.

After the break, Teachers weathered constant pressure from Mariners and were successful in thwarting every surge until O'Laughlin's penalty settled the issue.

In the first game, Police stalwarts Gareth Davies and David Lunn caused Renegades difficulties throughout.

Centre Mark Adams scored a converted try to put Police ahead 7-0 early in the first half. Renegades fly half Phil Heaney scored two penalties soon after to bring the Blacks back into the game 7-6.

Seconds before the break Pat Jones served Police a gift. He missed a tackle on the right which allowed Lunn through for a converted try on the blind side of a scrum.

Seven minutes into the second half, Renegades number eight Ali Nicoll scored a converted try to make it 14-13.

But Lunn extinguished any thought of an upset when he scored his second try in the final minute.