Two converted tries in the final four minutes converted a precarious four-point lead into an 16-point first win of the season for the One New Zealand Warriors in their fourth-round SG Ball Cup (under-19) clash against the Central Coast Roosters at Bruce Pullman Park in Takanini on Sunday.
While the visitors are languishing at the foot of the points table, the 34-18 victory was a much-needed boost for the home side following decisive losses to Manly Warringah (14-28) and South Sydney (12-36) in their first two matches.
They came into the contest refreshed after their bye last week and it immediately showed in their performance.
The Roosters knocked on from the kick-off, the Warriors profiting when hooker Amasio Tiatia speared over from dummy half in the first minute.
Match: Warriors v CC Roosters
Round 4 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
CC Roosters
Venue: Bruce Pulman Park, Takanini
It was 6-4 to the Roosters minutes later but the Warriors settled back into their work and soon found their attacking groove by producing four tries in the space of 21 minutes to hold a strong and well-earned 22-6 lead at halftime.
The scoring spurt started with halfback Rico Lemalie bombing to the right, winger Junior Pua climbing to win the ball in the contest, wriggling free of his opposite and shaking off other would-be defenders to score.
For the next, Tyson Hansen ghosted across field, dummied to Bishop Neal underneath and then fed Joseph Ratcliffe, the fullback with a superb step from a standing start and then speed to burn off the cover on an angled run.
The Roosters attacked minutes later, spreading the ball right only to see Warriors centre Mark Sikuvea pluck a clean intercept and race 80 metres to score.
Then right on halftime Hansen charged and was stopped short, dummy half Tiatia serving it up for second rower Dezman Laban to cross.
As it happened halftime came at the wrong time for the Warriors with the Roosters coming back from the break to put themselves right in the frame with two converted tries leaving them just four points adrift at 18-22.
There the score stayed until four minutes from time, the Warriors desperately and nervously hanging onto their advantage as the Roosters came at them.
The breakthrough came in the 66th minute, Hansen with the bomb to the right, centre Connor Bowden with the catch and off load to his right to an unstoppable Neal to go over wide out.
Bowden converted for a 10-point match-winning lead and then the Warriors iced it in the final minute, again through the aerial route. This time standoff Hinckley Ioka went to the air, Bowden and Sikuvea leaping to knock it back with Ratcliffe pouncing on the loose ball for his second try.
With the victory the Warriors move up to 10th on the ladder and have also improved the health of their points for and against differential.
Having had home advantage in their first three games, they now face the slog of three consecutive road trips, the first against the Bulldogs in Sydney next Saturday.
