League: Vulcans fall at the death

Jonathan Wright of the Bulldogs celebrates with team mates after scoring the match winning try. Photo / Getty Images

Losing in the final seconds is never easy to take but losing and robbing New Zealand teams the chance of a famous triple treat was more heartbreaking for the Auckland Vulcans today.

The NSW Cup side had hoped to set the tone for the day when they came up against a Canterbury Bulldogs going for their own triple success - they had won the previous two titles - but conceded a try with less than 30 seconds on the clock.

They had the chance to close out the game when they led 28-26 but Ivan Penehe lost the ball on his own 30m line to give the Doggies one last opportunity. It was one they gratefully received and Jonathan Wright did the honours when he cut back inside a scrambling Vulcans defence.

"When results go against you in the last seconds it's really heartbreaking,'' Vulcans coach Richie Blackmore said. "Ultimately I think the real heartbreak for me at the moment is not so much the game itself but the fact we didn't get the win and put a dampner on the three. I know that was hovering in most people's minds, can we get the three wins? To be the first one and trip up in that fashion is hard to take.''

They had actually looked out of it with just nine minutes remaining as they trailed 26-18 and had only 15 fit players. But, like they have all season as one of the competition's best attacking sides, flicked the switch and scored tries to Pita Godinet and Penehe to snatch a two-point lead.

It exemplified a topsy-turvy match. The Vulcans conceded a soft try to Trent Cutler in the second minute when he beat the attentions of four defenders but led 12-10 at halftime after tries to Willie Peace and Glen Fisiiahi, who raced 95m after snaffling a grubber close to his line

They were then on the ropes in the third-quarter and the Bulldogs took control on the back of a handful of Vulcans errors to establish a handy lead. It looked like the fact they were down to 15 fit players - Sione Lousi limped off with a calf injury in the third minute and Fisiiahi joined him on the sidelines with a groin injury on the hour - was taking its toll.

The Bulldogs played the sort of controlled football that had earned them consecutive NSW Cup titles and, with a handful of NRL players in their ranks, looked like they would have the experience to close the game out. But Godinet, who was excellent all game even though he had to fill in at fullback once Fisiiahi went off, sniped over from dummy-half in the 71st minute to give his side a chance.

He then delivered a brilliant offlload to Penehe three minutes later to snatch the lead. Penehe crossed again two minutes from time but was adjudged to have taken advantage of a shepherd.

That would have been the match-winner but, instead, that role was left to Wright.

"I thought we were all over them,'' Vulcans captain Isaac John said. "We just needed to hold the ball. But it's a lesson learned, and a massive lesson.''

Vulcans 28 (Willie Peace 2, Glen Fisiiahi, Pita Godinet, Ivan Penehe tries; Brett Seymour 4 gls) Bulldogs 30 (Michael Lett 2, Jonathan Wright 2, Trent Cutler, Joel Romelo, tries; Bryson Goodwin 3 gls). HT: 12-10.