The Cats had to claw hard to snare all 10 points against Central Park-St Brendan's at Mooroopna Main Oval, but still managed to capitalise on last week's strong position.
Pat Cormican gave the Tigers a chance to stave off the outright result as play resumed on Saturday, snaring four wickets to help have the Cats all out for 177 — an addition of just 35 runs to the total.
Most of those came from the bat of Paul Marshall before he and Henry Barrow resumed their positions at the top of their respective bowling marks.
The Tigers were able to see out Marshall's day two spell — finishing with 0-7 from six overs — but Barrow added 2-37 to his first innings figures of 6-37 to have 49 wickets in the regular season.
Connor Holland (50 from 90 deliveries), Xavier Chalkley (19 from 65) and Ramadan Yze (23) helped push the game past tea, but Jake Wright showcased his all-round prowess with 5-45 for the Cats to have the visitors all-out for 120.
Cormican snared a fifth wicket for the day in Mooroopna's second dig, but Brady Mulcahy (20 not out) steered the Cats past the total required to take maximum points from the contest.
The importance of the feat was made even clearer as the dust settled on other round 13 clashes, with the extra four points the difference between a fourth-placed finish and trip to Katandra or the current path of a home battle against Northerners with a likely safety net of a double chance should the side fail.
THE GAME
Central Park-St Brendan's 86 (Ramadan Yze 28, Henry Barrow 6-37, Paul Marshall 4-48) and 120 (Connor Holland 50, Jake Wright 5-45, Henry Barrow 2-37) lt Mooroopna 177 (Brad Lowe 46 retired not out, Sam O'Brien 29, Pat Cormican 4-43) and 2-33 (Brady Mulcahy 20 not out, Pat Cormican 1-19).
STAR PLAYER
Henry Barrow (Mooroopna): Pat Cormican and Jake Wright may have snared five wickets apiece on day two for Central Park-St Brendan's and Mooroopna respectively, but with eight wickets for the match it was again Barrow who starred to notch 49 poles in the regular season.
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