NRL: Sandow seals golden-point cliffhanger

The Rabbitohs celebrate a field goal by Chris Sandow to win against the Roosters. Photo / Getty Images

Rabbitohs 21
Roosters 20

South Sydney halfback Chris Sandow snapped a 51-metre field goal in the seventh minute of extra time to seal a dramatic 21-20 golden-point victory over NRL local rivals Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium.

With the Rabbitohs seemingly settling play down to get themselves closer to the posts, the diminutive Sandow did just enough to get the two competition points with video referee Paul Mellor called upon to confirm that the ball had scraped over the crossbar.

Leading 20-14 with just six minutes left on the clock, it looked like Nate Myles had secured the Roosters a second straight win when he kicked the ball over the dead ball line, just as Nathan Merritt was about to touch down for a potentially match-levelling try.

It was to no avail, however, with Greg Inglis scoring off the ensuing line drop-out when he was too big and strong for fullback Phil Graham.

Neither side managed to get into field position for an attempt at field goal, the Roosters' only chance on fulltime botched when the ball found its way to prop Jason Ryles 40 metres out - his kick going closer to the sidelines than the goalposts.

Roosters' skipper Braith Anasta and Rabbitohs' pair Sandow and Merritt all fell short with their cracks at the one-pointer in the first period of extra time, before Sandow's long-distance effort in the 87th minute.

The Roosters opened the scoring via Kane Linnett only to see the advantage rubbed out in soft fashion when Issac Luke darted over from short range to make it 6-6.

With Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney giving the ball plenty of air as they attacked the edges, the Roosters found easy metres.

But, as they have done so often during a disappointing 2011, the Roosters struggled to turn their half breaks into points, with the Rabbitohs' goalline defence frustrating the visitors.

Three straight sets on their own line proved too much, however, as Shaun Kenny-Dowall crashed over off a Pearce short ball in the 21st minute for a 10-6 lead, which is how it stayed to halftime.

Anasta was livid at what he thought was a blatant forward pass in the lead-up to Dylan Farrell's try shortly after the restart, Sandow's sideline conversion giving the Rabbitohs their first lead of the game.

Kiwi international Sam Perrett restored the Roosters' advantage with his first of the night after some nice lead-up work from Pearce - a Sandow penalty goal squaring it at 14 points apiece, before Perrett's second try 13 minutes from time had seemingly clinched the game for the visitors.

SOUTH SYDNEY 21 (D Farrell G Inglis I Luke tries C Sandow 4 goals C Sandow field goal) bt SYDNEY ROOSTERS 20 (S Perrett 2 S Kenny-Dowall K Linnett tries T Carney 2 goals) in golden-point extra time at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Brett Suttor, Phil Haines. Crowd: 14,671.

- AAP