NRL: Carney guides Roosters to much-needed win

Todd Carney of the Roosters. Photo / Getty Images

Roosters 34
Panthers 24

The Todd Carney-inspired Sydney Roosters eased the pressure on under-fire coach Brian Smith with a 34-26 NRL win over Penrith at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Dally M Medallist, who has endured a torrid season, scored two tries and kicked three goals as the Roosters chalked up only their third win in 12 games and inflict a first defeat of Steve Georgallis' reign as the Panthers' caretaker-coach.

It was also the first time since round four that last year's grand finalists chalked up more than 13 points in a game.

The visitors opened the scoring in the second minute when Kevin Kingston sprinted clear after being put through by Brad Tighe.

A Travis Burns conversion was followed by a successful penalty goal as the Roosters struggled to get out of their own half.

Carney played a major role in his side's opening try, latching onto a dropped bomb from Lachlan Coote to release Joseph Leilua who did well to hold onto the ball and barge his way over the line.

The former Canberra man added his first four-pointer of the afternoon midway through the opening stanza, sprinting 30 metres to score after good work from Sam Perrett and Mitchell Pearce.

However, Pearce undid his good work in the 26th minute when he failed to find touch from a penalty and the impressive Coote raced his way over after a good bust from giant prop Nigel Plum.

But the Roosters, looking far more confident than in recent weeks finished the half well with Phil Graham, replacing virus victim Anthony Minichiello at fullback, scored, before Carney added his second after Braith Anasta stole the ball from Dayne Weston and the five-eighth ran 50 metres to score.

Luke Lewis, backing up from NSW State of Origin duty, reduced the deficit early in the first half with Burns' kick maintaining his 100 per cent success rate with the boot and making the score 22-20.

However, the Roosters maintained their control with Anasta scoring from a Pearce bomb on the hour-mark, for his first try since round one, before Shaun Kenny-Dowall made the game safe with his seventh of the year 14 minutes from time.

The Panthers then lost skipper Petero Civoniceva for 10 minutes after he was sin binned for holding onto Frank-Paul Nuuausala for too long on the ground, but finished with a flourish when Coote added his second six minutes from time.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 34 (T Carney 2 B Anasta P Graham S Kenny-Dowall J Leilua tries T Carney 5 goals) bt PENRITH 26 (L Coote 2 K Kingston L Lewis tries T Burns 5 goals) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 9,713.

- AAP