Cowboys too strong for Dragons

The North Queensland Cowboys have recorded another win without their Origin stars tonight, holding on for an 18-12 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons in front of 11813 fans at a chilly WIN Stadium.

Both teams went into the contest without plenty of their star performers due to injuries and Origin duty, but it was the visitors who looked a little more composed and stuck to a simple, but effective game plan to claim the important two points which keeps them in touch with the Brisbane Broncos at the top of the table.

The Cowboys were quick to put their best foot forward tonight with a try to man of the match Kane Linnett in the 4th minute. Dragons back-rower Nathan Green stripped the ball out of Gavin Cooper's clutches close to the line, but the Wollongong junior was on the spot to pick up the scraps and dive over for a try in front of his former fan base. Fill in goal-kicker Ethan Lowe missed the conversion attempt, but the visitors were out of the blocks with a 4-0 lead.

The game would ebb and flow for the next 20 minutes until Cowboys wrecking ball Jason Taumololo burst through the heart of the Dragons defence and was brought down just short of the line. The home team were penalized for holding the big man down too long though and Lowe made no mistake with the easy two points on offer, giving his team a 6-0 lead after 25 minutes.

The home team would soon hit back with a try to centre Euan Aitken in the 30h minute. It looked like nothing was happening for the Dragons when the mercurial Benji Marshall received the ball on the left. He was quick to make something out of nothing though after drifting back across field to accelerate and put his centre into enough space to score. Five-eight Gareth Widdop slotted the conversion to tie up the contest.

To cap off a see sawing, end to end first half, Linnett crossed for his double after diving on a grubber from Cowboys halfback Robert Lui in the 37th minute. Lowe converted to hand his side a six point advantage heading into the sheds for halftime.

Both teams looked intent on completing their sets and kicking for field position to begin the second half, turning the game into a real arm wrestle. The Cowboys seemed to be getting on top around the ruck, with hooker Jake Granville making plenty of valuable yards out of dummy half and it was the live-wire dummy half who posted first points of the half with a barge over try in the 52nd minute. Lowe again converted to kick his team 12 points clear.

The Dragons weren't about to lie down though and soon hit back with a try to mid season recruit Mark Ioane in the 62nd minute. After Widdop put up a bomb close to the line, fill in winger Charly Runciman took a spectacular catch before offloading out the back for Ioane to dive over millimeters inside the touch in goal line. Widdop nailed a pressure kick from the sideline and it was game on with the deficit reduced to six with plenty of time on the clock.

The home team would throw plenty at the Cowboys in the last 20 minutes, including a Benji Marshall no-look inside pass which sent fullback Justin Hunt into the clear in the dying minutes. The Cowboys defence proved too strong in the end though and the visitors landed their seventh straight victory away from home.

Next Sunday, the Dragons will head to Remondis Stadium for round two of their local derby with the Cronulla Sharks. They will be sweating on getting their Origin troops back on deck along with injured back-rowers Joel Thompson and Tyson Frizell and will be desperate to arrest a four match losing streak.

The Cowboys on the other hand, have earned a well earned week off with a bye next round. The timing couldn't be better for them. Their Origin stars will get the luxury of not having to back up after Wednesday night's decider. After the bye, they will relaunch their title assault with a Monday night clash in round 19 against the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.

Match Details

St. George Illawarra Dragons 12 North Queensland Cowboys 18
Venue: WIN Stadium
Crowd: 11813
Halftime Score: St. George Illawarra Dragons 6 North Queensland Cowboys 12

ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (12)
Tries: Euan Aitken, Mark Ioane
Conversions: Gareth Widdop (2/2)

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (18)
Tries: Kane Linnett (2), Jake Granville
Conversions: Ethan Lowe (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Ethan Lowe (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Kane Linnett
2 points - Jake Granville
1 point - Justin Hunt

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Leagueunlimited's coverage of this all important top 4 match up between the 4th placed St George Illawarra Dragons and the 2nd placed North Queensland Cowboys. The Dragons will hold the home ground advantage, playing out of Wollongong's Win Stadium and will be looking for a win to stay entrenched in the battle for a top 4 finish. The Cowboys will be looking to bounce back from their first loss in 12 weeks last week, with a win to keep in touch with the Broncos at the top of the table. Both teams are missing plenty of star performers through both injury and Origin duty, but the importance of the two points should make this a gripping affair all the same.

LATE MAIL DRAGONS - Justin Hunt makes his club debut coming in for Jason Nightingale at fullback. Charly Runciman comes onto the wing for Eto Nabuli. Nathan Green will join the run on side replacing the suspended Will Matthews in the second-row.Craig Garvey, Mark Ioane and Luke Page come onto the bench with Rory O'Brien and Heath L'Estrange dropping out.

LATE MAIL COWBOYS - Scott Bolton will run on in his return from injury with Sam Hoare dropping back to the bench. The experienced Glenn Hall gets the final spot on the bench with Patrick Kaufusi dropping out of the 17 tonight.

The NRL debut for mid-season recruit Luke Page should be particularly interesting after the youngster made waves across YouTube earlier in the year with a highlights package of his wrecking ball running style playing for Mounties in the NSW Cup.

Players are on the field and observing a minute's silence for the late Phil Walsh...

1: Were underway at the Gong with the home team getting 1st use of the steeden

2: Benji kicks on the 4th but its fielded on the full by Wright on his 30m

3: Cowboys have 6 more on the Dragons line after a Rob Lui bomb was touched by the Dragons

3: VIDEO REF possible Cowboys try...

3: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Early points for the Cowboys after Nathan Green stripped the ball out of Cooper's grasp with Linnett picking up the spoils to score

3: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Ethan Lowe unsuccessful.
Lowe misses to the left

6: A solid set following points with the Dragons forced to work it out from their line

7: PENALTY Dragons against Granville for holding down too long. Dragons will have it 40m out from Cowboys line

8: Repeat set for the Dragons after Benji switched the play back to the left for Widdop to poke a grubber through, Coote was there to bat it dead

9: Kiti Glymin can't hang on to a pass around his bootlaces from Benji. 20m tap Cowboys

11: Penalty Cowboys after Glymin knocked on a bomb from Coote and a Dragons player was offside in regathering

12: Granville throws a stinker from dummy half & Widdop races 50. & now a penalty for the Dragons. They'll go deep on the attack

14: Repeat set coming up for the Dragons with Benji forcing a grubber through, with Wright cleaning it up

15: Granville cleans up a grubber from Benji & the Cowboys are working it out from their line

15: Good defence from the Cowboys there with the Dragons throwing plenty at them

16: Rein out of dummy half kicks down a narrow blind side & finds touch 10m out from the Cowboys line

18: Good metres down the left from the Cowboys with Coote linking up with Winterstein. The kick goes astray though & the Dragons are working into the Cowboys half

19: Thompson kicks to the corner & the Dragons get a scrum 10m out from their line

20: Penalty Dragons, inside the 10 is the call

22: Goergey Rose is back in 1st grade with a big charge towards the line. The Dragons fail to kick on the last though giving the Cowboys a handover. & a cheap penalty to boot

23: Taumololo busts through & brought down 10m out from the Dragons line. & earns his team a penalty

24: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Ethan Lowe successful.
The Cowboys take the 2 points on offer with Lowe slotting it through the sticks

26: A good set from the Cowboys with Runciman bringing it out from his own line after the kick

26: Winterstein traps it with his foot before bringing it back over his 20

28: Enterprising play from the Cowboys with Coote sending Lowe through a hole on the right before linking up with O'Neill who went within inches of scoring,

28: Hunt cleans up a wayward grubber but the defence is jamming in now..

29: A relieving penalty for the home team

31: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Euan Aitken. Kick to come.
Something out of nothing. Benji received the ball on the left before drifting across field to the right and accelerating to put Aitken into enough space to score

31: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Widdop just sneaks it inside the left upright

32: Widdop kicks to the corner on the last & Coote opts to let it roll out 5m out from his line

33: A scrum against the feed & were back in the eighties!

34: Benji has turned it over though. Cowboys this time win the scrum & work it out from their line now

34: Hunt is solid under the high ball at the back

36: Benji drills it down field on the last & Winterstein brings it back over his 10

36: Cowboys will get a scrum 40m out from the Dragons line after Runciman knocked down a ball from Coote

37: VIDEO REF possible Cowboys try...

37: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kane Linnett. Kick to come.
Green Lights with Linnett grabbing himself a double after diving onto a Lui grubber in goal

37: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Ethan Lowe successful.
Lowe slots inside the left upright

38: Mata'Utia puts a shot on Ethan Lowe

39: Runciman takes a Lui bomb just short of his line

40: A Benji bomb bounces 10m back from where he first kicked it before Benji tries to swing it to the right. Coote came up with the ball and made a break but the defence brings him to ground.

40: That's oranges at the Gong and the Cowboys hold a six point lead heading into the sheds. With plenty of players out tonight, this one's being entertaining all the same. Both teams are showing a willingness to move the ball around, but both look committed in defence. Stay tuned for the second half, it's anyone's game to win!

40: Were back underway & Hoare brings it back for the Cowboys

41: Coote kicks to the corner and Glymin looks nervous before picking up an awkward ball

42: Benji kicks deep & Linnett brings it back to his 10m

43: Another good kick from Coote with Hunt getting tackled 10m out from his line

44: Both teams trading sets, happy to just hit it up and get a good kick away

45: Granville makes a good 30m scoot from dummy half

45: Thompson stabs a grubber through but Hunt dives to clean it up just short of his line

46: Kiti Glymin has done a hamstring. Got to feel for the youngster on debut who looks a promising type

46: Luke Page is on making his own debut, forcing a reshuffle in the Dragons line up

47: Lui with a grubber set up a promising chance but the ball bounced up perfectly for Benji to clean up

48: Thompson stabs one low with Hunt bringing it back to his 20

50: Green is on the wing and takes a high ball

51: Wright plucks a kick out of the air on his 20

51: 6 more for the Cowboys after Coote & Cooper combined to make a break down the left

52: VIDEO REF possible Cowboys try...

52: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Jake Granville. Kick to come.
Granville throws a dummy & barges over

52: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Ethan Lowe successful.
Lowe makes no mistake from next to the posts

54: Coote kicks down field again before Hunt charges back nice and hard

55: Wright again fields it on the field and takes it back over his 30

56: Coote bombs to the corner and Linnett knocks it down before Hunt is tackled into touch

58: Benji puts one high but Linnett charges in to take the catch on his 20

58: Green takes a Lui kick & drifts across field before being tackled on his 20

59: The Dragons run it on the last but Marketo is brought down. Handover Cowboys on their 20

61: Penalty Dragons against Cooper for holding Green down too long in the tackle. Dragons ball 30m out from their line

61: Mata'utia is down injured now for the Dragons

61: He's ok though and will play the ball

61: VIDEO REF possible Dragons try...

61: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Mark Ioane. Kick to come.
Widdop put a bomb up and Runciman came down with it before offloading out the back and Ioane diving over for his first try in Dragons colours

61: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
From the sideline, Widdop nails it!

65: Widdop chips over the top and regathers, but Cooper with a try saving tackle, brings him down

66: Coote grubbers on the last but Hunt again ends up with the steeden

67: Linnett traps it on his 20 before bringing it back hard

68: Lui forces a repeat set with a nice grubber that was cleaned up by the captain Ben Creagh

69: Thompson grubbers, but Mike Cooper traps it and dives on the loose ball

70: Big charge by Goergey Rose

70: Garvey kicks on the last & Wright takes it dead, repeat set Dragons now

72: Rein loses possession in the tackle, Cowboys scrum 10 out from their line

73: Hunt takes a bouncing ball one handed on his own 10m line

74: Benji kicks a stabbing kick in & Linnett again brings it back

75: Green again is safe under a high bomb from Coote 5m out from his line

75: Rein goes for a 40/20 but Linnett just gets there in time

76: Handover Dragons 5m out from there line after Cooper knocked on the bomb

78: A no look inside ball from Benji sends Hunt through the middle before passing back to Benji who didn't have the pace to skip clear. On the last the Dragons kick rolled into touch though

78: Widdop cleans up the bouncing ball on his 30

79: Widdop kicks across field but Captain Cooper is on the spot to take the catch

80: And thats the ball game. The Cowboys hang in for another win without their Origin stars. Thanks for joining us tonight folks. Stay tuned for out match report to come shortly.