Warriors' defence in the wet sets up win

Stacey Jones. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors head into their second bye next week having lifted some of the load off their shoulders thanks to another National Rugby League shutout at home.

With their playoff hopes in the balance, the Warriors prevailed in a tense, tough arm wrestle against Newcastle in Auckland last night.

The 13-0 margin was boosted by a last-minute runaway try to young prodigy Kevin Locke, who also added the conversion.

On a rainy night made for defence, it was the Warriors' ability to keep the opposition to zero for the second successive match at Mt Smart Stadium that proved decisive.

Coach Ivan Cleary said the win was a vital one for the Warriors, who had gone into the latest round in 12th position, five points behind eighth-place Newcastle.

He admitted the Warriors' attack was ``a little patchy', with players struggling for the right options.

But in the wet, slippery conditions on offer, it was defence that won games.

"At the end of the day, we defended well," he said.

"That's not a quality you can pick up off the shelf. It's certainly something you can build from."

The Knights -- who still have both their byes, and a guaranteed four points, to come -- also showed plenty of defensive endeavour.

In the first half, facing a stiff breeze that dropped later in the match, they restricted the Warriors to a solitary converted try.

That came after five minutes, when lively five-eighth Lance Hohaia barged over from five metres despite the attention of four tacklers.

As the contest developed into an arm wrestle, the Warriors had the chance to ease the tension 15 minutes from time when Locke made a big break from deep in his own territory.

As Newcastle scrambled, they were penalised for offside in front of their own posts, offering the home side an easy two points.

But in what skipper Steve Price described as ``a brain explosion', hooker Ian Henderson opted instead for a quick tap, which ending up producing no reward.

With eight minutes to go, Hohaia landed a field goal that finally gave the Warriors breathing space.

Locke's 75m try seconds before the hooter added the icing.

Veteran halfback Stacey Jones, in his 250th match for the Warriors, had a strong first half, showing a willingness to take the line on and asking questions with his kicking game.

But a groin problem he picked up restricted his contribution as the match wore on.

"He wasn't looking good at halftime, but we had to keep him out there," Cleary said.

Club doctor John Mayhew expected Jones to be available for the Warriors' next fixture, away to the Gold Coast on June 27.

Newcastle also had an injury concern, but a far worse one.

Having rested skipper Kirk Gidley because of calf muscle tightness, the Knights lost their other New South Wales State of Origin representative, James McManus, in the seventh minute.

The winger broke down while running back to chase a kick and hobbled off with an ankle problem that coach Brian Smith described as "not looking good".

Stand-in skipper Steve Simpson had no complaints about the commitment of his team-mates in defeat.

He praised their efforts in restricting the score to 6-0 at halftime, considering the Warriors "had so much ball and the wind was up their backside".

However, the amount of tackling they did took its toll in the closing stages.

"I was pretty happy with the effort out there," Simpson said.

"It was pleasing to see, but it doesn't change the result."

- NZPA