The last-placed Fijian Drua continue to play the competition spoilers, pipping the Reds 36-33 with a last-gasp winner on Saturday.Â
The Reds were a minute away from notching an elusive first win in the Fijian capital, before inspired replacement Isikeli Rabitu surged over with 52 seconds left on the clock.
Reds mentor and Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss had billed the match "must win" for his fourth-placed side as they chase a top-three finals berth and all-important home play-off.
Little wonder Kiss cut an anxious figure, pacing around the Queensland coaches' box throughout the seesawing encounter.
In a bruising and sapping physical affair, forwards scored nine of the 11 tries as the lead changed hands seven times at HFC Bank Stadium.
In crossing for six tries to five but missing four conversions, the Drua probably deserved victory.
But it only came after a frenetic finish in which Reds co-captain Fraser McReight was yellow-carded, leaving his side a man short for the final 90 seconds.
That's all the Drua needed to leave the Reds none from three in Suva and now back in a dogfight for a top-six finals berth, ahead of two pivotal derbies away from home against the seventh-placed Waratahs and third-placed Brumbies.
"We need to see the improvements leading into those games away. Probably just physically," McDermott said after his milestone 100th Super game ended in disappointment.
"We just let them score too easy, too many times. Against a team like the Drua, you give them that much time and space to do whatever they want with the ball, they're going to make you pay.
"So we'll take our lessons. It's not all doom and gloom."
The Reds made a nice enough start, fullback Jock Campbell racing away to give his side an early lead after Drua winger Taniela Rakuro had opened the scoring in the fifth minute.
But, seeking a breather on the short side, flanker Etonia Waqa caught Tim Ryan napping and brushed off the winger to score the softest of tries for the Drua.
Again, like after the Drua's two earlier tries through Rakuro and prop Mesake Doge either side of Campbell's effort, the home team couldn't convert.
Filling in for injured Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler, Richie Asiata's fifth try in six games dragged the Reds back to within a point, before Fijian-born flanker Seru Uru strolled over down the left wing to earn the visitors a 19-15 halftime lead.
The Drua came out all guns blazing after the break, with lock Mesake Vocevoce and flanker Isoa Tuwai charging over to give the hosts a 29-19 advantage.
The Reds hit back through finishing forwards Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Max Craig.
But Rabitu had the final say to throw a spanner in the Reds' finals hopes, a fortnight after the Drua also downed the Waratahs in Fiji.
"Obviously a disappointing day," McDermott said.
"We got the bonus point and we're not happy with that, but it's better than nothing."
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