Coastal cliffhanger sees Warriors 'wow'

v BYE

Bunker controversy and wow are the words coming out of the Warriors' 32-28 golden point win over the Sydney Roosters at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford this afternoon.

The Roosters took control of the match early one with the opening try coming inside two minutes when Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored the first of his double after getting the initial tap back off the cross field kick before Blake Ferguson got a grubber in that SKD got to and scored with, soon after Jackson Hastings slotted a penalty goal to take the Roosters to an 8-0 lead. 

Despite plenty of dominance the Warriors then took control when the tactic of rushing up on RTS backfired when he managed to get a ball out to the beast Manu Vatuvei who score untouched in the corner.

The most controversial moment of the game and if not the round was where the bunker chose not to award a penalty try to Ryan Hoffman after he was denied what looked to be a certain try when he was held back by Aidan Guerra; despite replays showing that with a pull back Hoffman was going to score, the other controversial decision on that play appeared to be to not send Guerra to the sin bin.

Despite that, a ten minute burst from the Warriors saw them race out to a 20-8 with tries to Solomone Kata and a double to Shaun Johnson helped the Warriors blow the deficit away.

A converted try right on the stroke of half time for Shaun Kenny-Dowall helped the Roosters back to close the margin to six at the half time break.

The second half was played at a frenetic pace and it was obvious that it was going to take its toll and that was what happened but not before plenty of points in the first 20 minutes of the second half.

The Roosters managed to take the lead back when Sio Siua Takeiaho scored off the back of some great play from both Hastings and Latrell Mitchel set up the space to score.  The Roosters then continued the momentum by putting another try on the Warriors just two minutes later when Mitch Aubusson raced downfield and embarrassed RTS in defence.

The Warriors managed to hit back soon after through the second try to Solomone Kata and it was back level after Shaun Johnson's conversion.  Jackson Hastings then needed two goes at slotting a penalty goal to get the Roosters back in the lead after the first came off the upright and back into the Roosters hands before luckily getting a second. But as the story of the game had gone the previous 75 minutes it was never going to end with the Roosters in the lead.

That it didn't when with five minutes to go Shaun Johnson levelled the scores with a penalty goal and locked the scores up at 28 all and after the usual field goal shanks it was golden point that was going to decide the result.
Golden point lasted just seven tackles after the Warriors managed to race 80m through both Lolohea and the ex-Rooster Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who scored the match winner after a shallow kick from Jackson Hastings was taken with ease by Lolohea who set up RTS to win.

Next week things get even harder for the Roosters with a matchup against a re-energised South Sydney at ANZ Stadium, while the Warriors play host to the Manly Sea Eagles next Saturday at Mt Smart Stadium.