North Queensland Cowboys coach Graham Murray was happy to take the two competition points for his side's 32-22 victory over the New Zealand Warriors at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday.
The final score-line didn't reflect the tough battle and the even contest the match proved to be and Murray was relieved to leave these shores with a second win under his belt.
"It normally is pretty tough over here," he told reporters.
The victory is the fourth in succession for the Cowboys over the Kiwi side and the second in a row at Ericsson Stadium after a similar win late last season.
"Last year we were lucky to win the football match, we hung in there, and today at some stages we looked ropey but we hung in their and won the game," Murray added.
There was very little between the two clubs on Sunday as both were able to capitalise on the mistakes of the other throughout the match.
"It is tough out there. You make a few errors and you pay for it against good sides.
"We don't go into a game thinking this one is going to be as scrappy as you have ever seen but sometimes it can end up that way."
Murray made special mention of the performance of former Cowboy Nathan Fien, who played a terrific game against the club he led to the NRL finals last season.
He was involved in everything and got in the face of his former teammates right through the match.
"That is to be expected - we are use to it and you just have to roll with it," Cowboys skipper Paul Rauhihi said.
"We'd be disappointed if he didn't," Murray added. "He played well too."
The Cowboys are now off to their best start to a season under the Murray regime and, after slow starts in the previous two seasons, may prove to a stronger force than the side that made the playoffs last year.
"We haven't dwelled on that. We haven't made it like - this is what happened the last two years and we have to get off to a better start," Murray said but was pleased with the jump the Cowboys got off to.
With a fourth round clash against the struggling Newcastle Knights in Townsville next weekend, it would be a surprise if the Cowboys weren't 3-1 after the first month of the competition.
