Despite that good start, there was a desperation to the Lions' play that led to errors. They were lateral and error-prone - and with each bout of angst, the Waratahs' belief started to rise.
Midway through the first half they set up camp in the Lions 22, one penalty giving way to another then another. In that passage the tourists were penalised four times, but escaped a yellow card. The majority of the crowd inside Allianz Stadium did not approve, to say the least.
The Waratahs thought they had punished the Lions when Charlie Gamble blasted over in the corner, but the home side were penalised for obstruction. It was another lucky escape for the Lions following the avoidance of yellow card.
Jones got his second try when the siege was lifted - his lovely footwork from close range taking him outside his defender. Smith's conversion put a gloss on the scoreboard, which read 14-0 to the Lions.
That did not last. The next time the Waratahs had a chance, they took it. Taniela Tupou and Rob Leota did brilliantly in the lead-up as they put Lancaster in down the left.
Keenan, in an awful moment on a rough night for the Ireland full-back, missed his tackle and Lancaster scored. The try was a touch fortunate. It looked as if Mack Hansen had been taken out illegally earlier in the move.
They struck again early in the second half when hooker Dobbins got on the end of a rumble and reached out to score. Again, the Waratahs failed with the extras, which was just as well for the Lions. They were leading 14-10 but toiling badly.
Mitchell, who was excellent, dummied his way over for the Lions' third after the Waratahs made a mess of a tap penalty.
Mitchell was clinical in taking his chance and Smith added the conversion.
Things were beginning to look a little more like it but then the error mountain came again. Turnover upon turnover, scattergun stuff after scattergun stuff.
The victory was secured, but the Wallabies watching on will have enjoyed every second of it with the first Test in a fortnight's time.