Cowboys outplay gun-shy Bulldogs

Away form is an issue no more for the North Queensland Cowboys, recording a 20-12 victory tonight against a poor Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs outfit in front of just under 10,000 fans at ANZ Stadium.

Canterbury were the first side to crack the scoreboard with Mitch Brown scoring the opening try. Hodkinson's conversion had the Dogs up 6-0. The Cowboys bided their time until striking back with a double to Matthew Wright - this took the visitors to a 10-6 lead which was later extended on halftime with a Johnathan Thurston penalty goal. Despite the confident start the Bulldogs fell away badly through poor handling and discipline, as well as poor defensive reads on the edges which allowed the Cowboys space down the flanks.

The biggest concern for the Cowboys came in the first half when James Tamou went down with what appeared to be a concussion but has since been revealed as a neck injury.

The Bulldogs wing woes changed little in the second half with the Cowboys pushing their lead to 18-6 when Thurston pushed a great pass wide to Antonio Winterstein who got outside the Canterbury outside men who'd come too far in-field. He went over almost untouched and the Bulldogs looked listless. They finally hit back in the 61st minute when Josh Jackson hit a well-timed Hodkinson pass and the margin was reduced back to six points, but the Bulldogs continued to butcher the limited chances they had with poor execution, mixed with solid and imposing defence from the Cowboys.

The scoreline stayed at 18-12 til the final minute when Thurston potted a late penalty goal and the 9,873 hardy souls who'd made their way to ANZ filed for the exits. A short kickoff resulted in no joy for Canterbury and means the Belmore club is now winless in two straight games - the Cowboys now two away wins from their last two away games!

Next week the Cowboys are at home to the Titans on Saturday evening, while Canterbury will host Penrith on Friday night back at ANZ Stadium.

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (12)
Tries: Mitch Brown, Josh Jackson
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (2/2)

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (20)
Tries: Matthew Wright (2), Antonio Winterstein
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (2/2)

Can the Dogs bounce back or will the Cowboys capitalize on their new found away form? Big one coming up for both sides. NQ are as per program. The Bulldogs lose Josh Morris and Drury Low, with Sam Perrett coming in at fullback. Moses Mbye goes to the centers, Brown to the wing, with Tony Williams shifting to five eighth. Dale Finucane will start in the back row, and the new bench forward is Harlan Alaalatoa.

Both clubs come out onto ANZ and we have action, Bulldogs first possession.

1: Bulldogs penalty first set. Early attacking chance.

3: Early error from the Dogs and Cowboys work it back upfield.

5: Morgan throws a long ball... Straight to the touch judge. Bulldogs scrum just short of halfway.

8: Penalty late in the set for Canterbury. Dogs ball 20m out.

9: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Moses Mbye makes an unforced error.
Mbye spills it as the Dogs head wide and start looking dangerous. It's compounded by a penalty against Ennis for a high shot.

10: Video ref possible Cowboys try in the corner.

10: No try. Ball lost in the put down. Bulldogs 20m restart.

12: Cowboys error puts the Dogs on the attack.

13: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Mitch Brown. Kick to come.
Brown back on the wing and back in the scoresheet. Dogs run it on the last and he scores in the corner.

14: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Big Hokko curls it in from the touch line.

17: Dogs penalty after Ashton Sims gives a bit too much in the tackle.

19: Penalty and scrum for Canterbury, now a Cowboys player down after a head clash.

20: Video ref possible Bulldogs try to Lafai. On field is no try, checking grounding.

20: No try, Lafai error, Cowboys scrum 10m out.

22: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Tony Williams makes an unforced error.
Williams loses it in a tackle in his own 40m, Cowboys scrum.

23: Bulldogs withstand the onslaught for now but Cowboys have a scrum 10m out.

24: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Matthew Wright. Kick to come.
Numbers on the right and the Cowboys are in through Matthew Wright.

25: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
From out wide Thurston misses across the face.

28: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Matthew Wright. Kick to come.
Thurston launches it wide catching out Brown, and Wright has a quickfire double!

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston from the same spot... Gets it this time.

32: Bulldogs force a dropout off a Hodkinson high ball on the last.

34: Last tackle option fizzes out then Williams collects the Cowboys halfback high. TRex on report.

36: Dogs defuse a panicked last tackle play from the Cowboys and are now working it upfield.

37: Cowboys working it upfield, get six again, and now a penalty. Pressure on Canterbury here.

38: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston pushes the lead out to six after the penalty.

39: Perrett takes a high ball to relieve the pressure on the home side. HALFTIME Cowboys lead 12-6.

40: Second half underway at ANZ! Cowboys with it first.

43: Bulldogs withstand a double set from the Cowboys and now work it off their own line.

45: Cowboys look to trap the Dogs in goal but the chasers are offside. Penalty Canterbury.

48: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Antonio Winterstein. Kick to come.
The Bulldogs edge defenders exposed on the other side this time, a superb Thurston pass finds Winterstein in the corner.

49: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston adds the extras.

51: Helpful penalty for the Dogs and they have a chance inside Cowboys territory now.

52: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Timoteo Lafai makes an unforced error.
Lafai spills it. Cowboys scrum... Wait they lose it on tackle one! Dogs attack again!

53: Hodkinson replicates Morgans efforts from the first half.... Cuts out his players and it's straight over the sideline. Poor pass.

56: Bulldogs attack lacking imagination at the moment. Cowboys making easy metres on the counter too.

57: Bulldogs finally force a repeat set, Brown takes Wright touch ingoal. Dropout Cowboys.

59: Promising raid comes to nothing for the Dogs when Jackson offloads it straight to Winterstein.

61: Dogs get a penalty on the last after the Cowbiys laid around too long.

61: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Josh Jackson. Kick to come.
Beautiful hole running and finally Jackson gets the hosts back on the scoreboard.

62: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
No mistake from Trent, margin reduced to six.

64: UNFORCED ERROR NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Michael Morgan makes an unforced error.
Morgan spills a deep Bulldogs kick in goal. Line dropout.

66: Video ref checking a Bulldogs no try for Lloyd Perrett. Grounding in question.

66: No try, handover Cowboys.

68: Line dropout forced by the Cowboys. They can seal the game with a try in this set...

69: UNFORCED ERROR NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Robert Lui makes an unforced error.
Lui spills it. Dogs scrum on their own 10m.

75: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Reni Maitua makes an unforced error.
Maitua stuffs up the play the ball... A bit rough there, Kostjasyn laying around the play the ball arguably could've been penalized.

77: Execution just not quite there from the Dogs as they desperately try to save the game. Time running out. Cowboys 20m restart.

78: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
A bit of inconsistency here between the refs but the Cowboys have a penalty goal attempt here to seal the match, Thurston nails it.

80: That will do us from ANZ. Cowboys too good, Bulldogs struggling.