League: Roberts magic sinks brave Warriors

Sonny Bill Williams takes on the Warriors defence. Matt King / Getty Images

Bulldogs 22 NZ Warriors 18

SYDNEY - A miracle run and offload by young Kiwis halfback Ben Roberts saw the Bulldogs sink the New Zealand Warriors 22-18 in golden point extra time in their National Rugby League match today.

With the scores locked at 18-18 after a thrilling 80 minutes, Roberts dashed 30m and flicked an inside ball to prop Mark O'Meley to score under the posts and halt the Warriors' four-match winning streak.

Roberts, who played for the Kiwis in last month's hammering from Great Britain, was only playing today when regular No 7 Brent Sherwin was ruled out with injury.

From a standing start, when it looked as if five-eighth Daniel Holdsworth would shoot for goal, Roberts burst upfield to leave the Warriors' defence standing.

The shattered Warriors deserved plaudits for their performance after racing to a 16-0 lead and withstanding a late fightback from the previously fourth-placed Bulldogs before a crowd of 14,000.

But the Warriors couldn't score in the second half after leading 18-12 at the break.

The Warriors made their customary flying start and appeared to have the match at their mercy as they raced to a 16-0 lead in as many minutes.

Captain Steve Price, fresh from his State of Origin series win with Queensland and playing his old club, was an inspiration early on with powerful bursts and neat offloads.

Halfback Grant Rovelli and the hulking figure of wing Manu Vatuvei combined for the first three tries to stun the hosts, the first two from pinpoint Rovelli bombs.

Simon Mannering dived on the loose ball to open the scoring in the ninth minute after Vatuvei towered above Hazem El Masri in the in-goal area; then two minutes later Vatuvei haunted El Masri again, catching the ball 10m out and passing to an unmarked Wairangi Koopu.

The third try was a comedy of errors; Price dropping the ball, Nathan Fien nearly crunched at dummy half before firing a netball pass to Rovelli who straightened, passed to Vatuvei who caught one-handed 20m out and carried two Bulldogs defenders over the line.

Bulldogs giant Willie Mason's introduction from the bench calmed things, and the hosts scored two tries in seven minutes to get back in the contest.

The first to wing Cameron Phelps came from a break by livewire Roberts, in for the injured Brent Sherwin, while Mason's flat cut-out pass put Andrew Ryan over.

But the Warriors caught their breath and Tony Martin's late penalty goal put them six points clear at halftime.

The Warriors' fire dulled after the break with Price and Ruben Wiki taking a rest, handling errors crept in and the Bulldogs levelled the scores 18-18 when centre Willie Tonga jinked over out wide and El Masri converted.

Price and Wiki returned and the ship steadied, the Warriors scrambled well on defence and regained their confidence as an thrilling match went into the final 10 minutes locked together.

Star centre Sonny Bill Williams, who had a quiet match, took charge and looked like he would lead the Bulldogs home but the Warriors held, Holdsworth missing two late field goal attempts including a desperate chargedown from Price.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary later emerged from a sombre dressing room in an upbeat mood.

"The boys are pretty shattered, obviously. It's disappointing to put in that sort of effort and come away with nothing," Cleary said.

"Although we came away with no points, we'll be better for the experience, especially the young guys.

"In the last 15 minutes we didn't do that much wrong, we just couldn't quite get an opportunity for a field goal and attack their end. We couldn't get a mistake out of them.

"It's disappointing for us when we led 16-0, we probably just took the foot off a little bit."

Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes had some sympathy for his opponents.

"It's a nice way to win but it'd be a terrible way to lose, I'd imagine," Folkes said.

"We hung in there after being down 16-0 and the defence on our own line was outstanding."

Bulldogs 22 (Cameron Phelps, Andrew Ryan, Willie Tonga, Mark O'Meley tries; Hasem El Masri 3 goals)
NZ Warriors 18 (Simon Mannering, Wairangi Koopu, Manu Vatuvei tries; Tony Martin 3 goals)
HT: Warriors 18-12.
Fulltime: 18-18.

- NZPA