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Match Report

 
 
Raiders hold off NZ

Raiders hold off NZ

05/01/2010 05:57:52 AM

Three Raiders tries in nine minutes rocked the Warriors' hopes of a cheerful week-off as the visitor's 23-16 victory imposed a third successive defeat on the locals.

An inability to start matches switched-on gifted the Raiders a 16-0 half-time lead at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.

The Raiders have the third-worst defensive record in the NRL but it was the Warriors who missed 16 tackles in the opening half. It highlighted their possession dominance that Canberra slipped off four.

Brent Tate got the home-side off to a great start with two jinking incisive busts, the latter halfback James Maloney loomed up on his inside - but Tate ran away from him and then threw a wayward pass.

Lance Hohaia butchered a counter attack chance when his horrible pass found the turf instead of wing Patrick Ah Van and Canberra's left wing Drury Low swooped on the loose ball to stroll in for the easiest of tries.

Terry Campese converted as the visitor's took a 6-0 lead against the run of play.

Raiders back-rower Trevor Thurling lost the pill over the line, but on the next set huge front-rower David Shillington collected a simple inside ball to bump off Sam Rapira and crash over in the tackle of Hohaia. Campese slotted the extras.

Low, a Waverly Panthers junior, grabbed his brace 20 minutes into the one-sided affair after inform 19-year-old fullback Josh Dugan again split the Warriors up the inside channel. Dugan sprinted to the Warriors 20 metre line before floating a wide pass which sent Low over untouched.

Campese ruined his perfect record but the Green Machine was chugging full-steam ahead at 16-0.

Auckland showed its four seasons as driving rain set in and Canberra rubbed its hands together, further in the box-seat as the hooter sounded.

In the first set of the second stanza, Ukuma Ta'ai produced a right-foot step that left Raiders centre Joel Thompson speechless on his own line.

The back-rower's third try of the season gave his side the essential first points of the half. Maloney converted to reduce the deficit to 10 points.

Maloney showed exceptional vision with a pin-point cross-field kick that found a flying, diving Ah Van in the right-hand corner to continue the resurgent momentum swing. Maloney failed to convert but the Warriors were back in the contest at 16-10.

However, the Raiders hit right back as Kiwis' back-rower Bronson Harrison's offload sent Thompson over the stripe to silence the vocal 11,499 crowd. Campese obliged to establish a 12 point advantage with 15 minutes remaining.

Raiders halfback Marc Herbert, in for the injured Adam Mogg, slotted a field-goal to put the game beyond doubt.

Tate scored a late consolation try, which Maloney converted from the touch-line but it was in vein as the Warriors disappointed their fans for a third consecutive loss at home.

The faith is being tested early.

 

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