Dale Finucane of the Bulldogs looks to offload during the round 21 NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the North Queensland Cowboys. Photo / Getty Images.
Three tries from Ben Barba has inspired Canterbury to a ninth successive NRL win with a 32-18 victory over North Queensland at ANZ Stadium tonight.
The Cowboys fought their way back from an 18-6 halftime deficit to draw level at 18-18 after 63 minutes but the Bulldogs ran away with
the win in the final few minutes.
After Krisnan Inu booted a penalty to break the deadlock, winger Sam Perrett crossed in the 76th minute and Barba went over for his third in the 78th minute to maintain the Bulldogs' spot at the top of the ladder.
Barba scored his 15th try of the year in the 13th minute when he burst onto a Josh Reynolds offload and raced 50m untouched after the Canterbury five-eighth had stepped his way through the Cowboys line.
North Queensland hit back in the 17th minute when Johnathan Thurston switched play left to the Cowboys' short side 10m out from the Canterbury line and Matt Bowen put through an angled kick for Kane Linnett to score.
