Romelda Aiken's incredible rebounding skill and the Queensland Firebirds' fervent defence helped them to inch to a 52-50 victory over Southern Steel in the ANZ Championship yesterday.

Aiken grabbed six rebounds and finished with a massive 48 goals from 59 attempts that helped the home team clinch the narrow victory and move into fourth place, as well as play-off contention in the Championship.

Firebirds are equal on 12 points with the Steel, but marginally ahead on goal differential with two games remaining.

Lobbed ball

The 20-year-old Aiken waited patiently and used her height advantage for the lobbed ball to be delivered from her midfielders Tasmin Greenway and Lauren Noruse. But Steel defenders Megan Hutton and Katrina Grant worked hard to jam Aiken in directly under the post, where she sometimes wobbled with her shots.

Aiken, however, used her ability to rebound and have a second chance with most of her missed opportunities.

Firebirds held out for a narrow 12-11 lead at the end of a low-scoring first quarter, but it took three straight goals in the closing stages of the second period for Firebirds to nose ahead 26-25 at half-time, after they were behind by as many as six.