Graham's West Belconnen Warriors had scored three tries to Belconnen United's two, but his wayward goal kicking left the scores tied at 12-apiece with a place in the top four on offer.

So the Warriors halfback took it upon himself to be the difference, scoring two second half tries to orchestrate a 24-18 Canberra Raiders Cup win at Kippax Oval on Sunday.

Graham converted both of his own tries to put the result beyond doubt and guide his side into the top four after nine rounds.

"I used to be a goalkicker, you do put a lot of pressure on yourself. You're pretty good at adding up in sixes or in fours," West Belconnen coach Matt Gafa said.

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"People always want to have a shot at you if you lose a game by kicks, but people don't always see it when you make kicks to win games. It's a tough job.

"He missed the first three and it was 12-all and three tries to two, but he kicked a couple late which was good.

"He scored a couple of tries, he's coming back into a bit of form which is good to see. You always want your halves in form."

The Goulburn City Bulldogs' 32-22 win over Tuggeranong across the border saw them move into third, while the Warriors' rise into fourth sees the Queanbeyan Kangaroos fall to fifth.

The Warriors drew first blood in the battle of Belconnen when Mapu Uasi latched onto a pinpoint crossfield kick from five-eighth Lachlan Keeley inside the opening four minutes.

But the Sharks were determined to let the ball talk and Nukurua Ngere struck. But four times the Sharks were held up over the try line in the first half, leaving them with a 12-8 half-time lead which so easily could have been more.

When Sharks back-rower Harrison Leadbitter was sin-binned for a professional foul, Graham stepped up. Eventually his double gave his side an advantage not even Woolnough's 80^th minute try would reverse.

"There were some great tackles, the boys were getting underneath them," Gafa said.

"There was one in the second half too, I don't know how the guy didn't score from a ricochet off a kick. I don't know where they came from but we managed to hold him up.

"It was pleasing, especially coming off a bye, to get a win and to defend that way."

AT A GLANCE

Canberra Raiders Cup round nine: WEST BELCONNEN WARRIORS 24 (Bayley Graham 2, Mapu Uasi, Andrew McDonald, Arthur Brown tries; Graham 2 goals) bt BELCONNEN UNITED SHARKS 18 (Matthew Woolnough 2, Nukurua Ngere tries; Woolnough 2, Joshua Pokoney goals) at Kippax Oval.

GOULBURN CITY BULLDOGS 32 (D Rota 2, S Titiuti 2, S Cummins, J Roberts; I Walker 4 goals) bt TUGGERANONG BUSHRANGERS 22 (J Davison 2, J Billing, L Oakley, N/A tries; M O'Malveney goal) at Goulburn.