The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Holden Cup side have this afternoon accounted for the North Queensland Cowboys 40-20 at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford.
The stand-outs were John Sila with a hat-trick of tries and both Moses Mbye and Dylan Rintoul scoring two tries each.
It was an ideal start with two tries in the opening eight minutes. It was five-eighth Moses Mbye who crossed for both of the tries in what looked to be an ominous sign for the Cowboys. The first came in the fourth minute with Mbye taking the ball to the line and with a big left foot step found himself in open space and diving over to score next to the left hand upright. Fullback Patrick Templeman converted to lead 6-nil.
Four minutes later it was again Mbye but it was off the back of a spiral bomb from halfback Jaline Graham that was left to bounce from the Cowboys and Mbye picked up the loose ball to score under the posts. Templeman easily converted with the lead now out to 12-nil.
The visitors answered back quickly with their opening try in the 13th minute. It was centre Javid Bowen who was sent into open space after a quality ball from halfback Sam Foster. The centre ran 15m untouched to score five metres in from the eastern touchline. Bowen couldnt convert his own try with the score now 12-4.
Just five minutes later the scoreboard operator was in use again. It was for the Bulldogs third try, this time to winger John Sila. It was a silky backline move through the hands of Graham, Templeman and on to Sila who ran the 10m untouched to go over in the north-west corner. Templeman couldnt convert from out wide with the score 16-4.
The match was being played from end to end and the next points went to the Cowboys. It was scored through lock forward Chris Greusmuhl under the uprights. Halfback Foster converted and the score was 16-10 after 24 minutes.
In the 30th minute Sila crossed for his second four-pointer of the afternoon after receiving a swift cut-out ball from Templeman. The fullback couldnt convert with the score 20-10.
The tries were flowing and it was Dylan Rintoul on the right wing who was the finisher of the Bulldogs fifth try. A mistake from the Cowboys gave the blue and whites a fresh set of six and on just the second play they shifted the ball to the right and Rintoul went over in the north-east corner. Templeman couldnt convert as the scoreboard read 24-10.
On the stroke of half-time the Cowboys went over for their third try of the afternoon through fullback Zac Santo. Foster couldnt convert and the Bulldogs went to the sheds leading 24-14.
Two tries in the opening 13 minutes of the half through Sila and James Ralphs extended the Bulldogs lead. With both tries converted by Templeman the lead was out to 36-14.
The Cowboys answered back in the 55th minute through five-eighth Alex Grant. Damon Taurou-Rau-hihi made a bust up the middle and haded it off to Grant who ran 15m to score. Try was converted by Foster and the score was now 36-20.
A second try to Rintoul in the 67th minute were the final points with the young Bulldogs holding on to a 40-20 victory.
BULLDOGS 40 (Mbye 2, Sila 3, Rintoul 2, Ralphs Tries; Templeman 4 Goals) def. COWBOYS 20 (Bowen, Gruesmuhl, Santo, Grant Tries; Foster 2 Goals)
At: Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
The stand-outs were John Sila with a hat-trick of tries and both Moses Mbye and Dylan Rintoul scoring two tries each.
It was an ideal start with two tries in the opening eight minutes. It was five-eighth Moses Mbye who crossed for both of the tries in what looked to be an ominous sign for the Cowboys. The first came in the fourth minute with Mbye taking the ball to the line and with a big left foot step found himself in open space and diving over to score next to the left hand upright. Fullback Patrick Templeman converted to lead 6-nil.
Four minutes later it was again Mbye but it was off the back of a spiral bomb from halfback Jaline Graham that was left to bounce from the Cowboys and Mbye picked up the loose ball to score under the posts. Templeman easily converted with the lead now out to 12-nil.
The visitors answered back quickly with their opening try in the 13th minute. It was centre Javid Bowen who was sent into open space after a quality ball from halfback Sam Foster. The centre ran 15m untouched to score five metres in from the eastern touchline. Bowen couldnt convert his own try with the score now 12-4.
Just five minutes later the scoreboard operator was in use again. It was for the Bulldogs third try, this time to winger John Sila. It was a silky backline move through the hands of Graham, Templeman and on to Sila who ran the 10m untouched to go over in the north-west corner. Templeman couldnt convert from out wide with the score 16-4.
The match was being played from end to end and the next points went to the Cowboys. It was scored through lock forward Chris Greusmuhl under the uprights. Halfback Foster converted and the score was 16-10 after 24 minutes.
In the 30th minute Sila crossed for his second four-pointer of the afternoon after receiving a swift cut-out ball from Templeman. The fullback couldnt convert with the score 20-10.
The tries were flowing and it was Dylan Rintoul on the right wing who was the finisher of the Bulldogs fifth try. A mistake from the Cowboys gave the blue and whites a fresh set of six and on just the second play they shifted the ball to the right and Rintoul went over in the north-east corner. Templeman couldnt convert as the scoreboard read 24-10.
On the stroke of half-time the Cowboys went over for their third try of the afternoon through fullback Zac Santo. Foster couldnt convert and the Bulldogs went to the sheds leading 24-14.
Two tries in the opening 13 minutes of the half through Sila and James Ralphs extended the Bulldogs lead. With both tries converted by Templeman the lead was out to 36-14.
The Cowboys answered back in the 55th minute through five-eighth Alex Grant. Damon Taurou-Rau-hihi made a bust up the middle and haded it off to Grant who ran 15m to score. Try was converted by Foster and the score was now 36-20.
A second try to Rintoul in the 67th minute were the final points with the young Bulldogs holding on to a 40-20 victory.
BULLDOGS 40 (Mbye 2, Sila 3, Rintoul 2, Ralphs Tries; Templeman 4 Goals) def. COWBOYS 20 (Bowen, Gruesmuhl, Santo, Grant Tries; Foster 2 Goals)
At: Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
