The Bulldogs NYC side have registered their second victory of the season with a last minute field goal giving the pups a 31-10 victory.
The Warriors crossed for six tries to the Bulldogs five but it was the boot of five-eighth Brad eighran that proved to be the difference.
Coach Scott Murray made two changes to the side with Herman Ese’ese and Tommy Backhouse coming into the side with Tuuta Langi and George Tsikrikas the men to miss out.
Just three minutes into the game, Warriors winger Paul Ulberg picked up a loose Adam Elliott pass and after shrugging away from one defender, went on to run the 35m to the line to score. Five-eighth Mafoa’aeata Hingana couldn’t convert from out wide with the score 4-nil.
With the Warriors leaving the ball to come down off a Brad Keighran kick it was winger Dujuan Liolevave who snatched the ball out of the air and found a gap through to the tryline to score the Bulldogs opening points. Keighran converted to put the young pups in front 6-4 after eight minutes of play.
It was the Warriors who almost immediately answered back in the eleventh minute off the back of some outstanding James Bell footwork. Taking the ball one off the ruck, the lock forward jinked off his left foot and pushed his way through two defenders to score. Hingana converted to put the Warriors back in front, 10-6.
Fullback Brad Abbey was next to score for the Warriors and with Hingana converting the lead was extended out to 16-6.
The Warriors were having trouble coming out of their own end and it was from that, that the Bulldogs could cross for their second try. Jack Creighton went in hard and managed to force the ball out with interchange forward Royce Hunt pouncing on the loose ball to score. Keighran again converted to close the gap to 16-12 after 32 minutes.
Just three minutes later the Warriors lead was extended through Toafofoa Sipley. Again it was sloppy ruck defence with Sipley taking the ball one off the ruck before burrowing under the defence to score. Hingana converted and the Warriors went to the half-time break leading 22-12.
The second half couldn’t have started any better for the Bulldogs with a Brad Keighran kick coming down and almost hitting the upright causing the fullback to let it bounce. A flying Brendan Cox then got to the ball on the second bounce to score. Keighran again converted with the score now 22-18.
The young pups were winning the battle and big prop forward Danny Fualalo was next to cross in the 51st minute. A great run by Jamke Kamire was topped off with a quick play the ball and with Fualalo having a good run up he crashed over to score. Keighran again converted from just to the left of the uprights to put the Bulldogs in front 24-22.
In a match that was being played from end to end it was the Warriors who crossed next through captain Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard going over. The try couldn’t be converted by Hingana with the Warriors marginally in front 26-22 after 63 minutes.
Lock forward Jack Creighton showed great strength in the 68th minute when he just steamrolled the opposition defence to score. The roll forward was continuing and Creighton just brushed aside his opposite to cross just to the right of the uprights. Keighran converted to again put the Bulldogs in front 30-26.
With just five minutes remaining the Warriors busted through the middle and with the Bulldogs defence reeling winger Paul Ulberg crossed for his second try of the afternoon. The try couldn’t be converted with the scores level at 30-all.
After a Warriors attempt at field-goal the Bulldogs were lucky enough to get a seven-tackle set with a 20m restart. From there the young pups worked down the middle of the field and on the final tackle Keighran stepped by one defender and then set himself before slotting it between the uprights for the victory with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
The Bulldogs held on from the restart to register their second win for the year 31-30.
BULLDOGS 31 (Liolevave, Hunt, Cox, Fualalo, Creighton Tries; Keighran 5 Goals; Keighran 1 Field Goal)
defeated
WARRIORS 30 (Ulberg 2, Bell, Abbey, Sipley, Tuimavave-Gerrard Tries; Hingana 3 Goals)
At: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
