Carney leads Roosters

Todd Carney went from villain to hero to snatch the Sydney Roosters a controversial 12-8 win over Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Sunday.

Carney had a horror time for much of the game, making several unforced errors in a grinding affair.

But Carney proved the man on the spot, diving on a loose ball from a Braith Anasta bomb five minutes from the finish to get the Roosters a late win.

The Tigers led for the entire match up until that point and there was plenty of doubt about the try.

At least one Roosters player looked level with Anasta as he kicked the ball and then Tigers fullback Beau Ryan appeared to be shoved out of the way after he had dropped the ball as he attempted to retrieve it.

The men in the middle referred the incident to video referee Paul Simpkins, who awarded ‘try – benefit of the doubt’.

Carney added the conversion to secure an invaluable win for the Roosters.

In a clash played before a full house in unseasonably hot weather in Sydney’s west, both sides struggled for cohesion in the first half.

The Tigers had the early momentum but showed they thought it would be a tough day’s work when they opted to shoot for goal when awarded a penalty deep inside the Roosters half after three minutes.

Benji Marshall slotted home the goal and the Tigers held that narrow lead for almost the entire half as dropped ball was the order of the day.

The Roosters should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Anasta caught the defence napping with a well-placed grubber kick.

But winger Sam Perrett – without anyone near him – couldn’t control the rolling ball and the chance was gone.

The Tigers finally found their rhythm with a planned move just before the break that had the crowd on their feet.

A set move saw Marshall change the direction of play, turning the ball inside for rampaging back-rower Chris Heighington.

Heighington charged through the line and steamed 20 metres to score, with Marshall adding the extra to take the Tigers to an 8-0 half-time lead.

But the Roosters struck back immediately after the resumption, with giant prop Frank Paul Nuuausala barging over from close quarters.

That reduced the Tigers’ lead to 8-6 and there it remained for over half an hour until Carney’s late winner.