Canterbury slip past woeful Rabbitohs

Canterbury have proven too good for a woeful South Sydney side 32 points to 12 in front of 15,312 fans out at ANZ Stadium.

Canterbury were willing to spread the ball wide early despite the slippery conditions and it proved dividends when a rebounded kick from Ben Bsrba offered Bryson Goodwin the opening try of the evening. Goodwin converted to make it 6-0 and it would be his wing partner Steve Turner who would double the Bulldogs advantage after some catch and pass play.

It took a scrum play for South Sydney to score, with returning hooker Issac Luke packing in to give his halfback Chris Sandow the opportunity to weave his way to the tryline. Throughout the half, both sides were quite bad with their handling making the football look like a cake of soap but Canterbury didn't have any problems when they kept the ball alive and front rower Chris Armit dived over for his first try of the season and giving his side a 18-6 scoreline at oranges.

The gap would widen for the Rabbitohs when Sam Burgess who seemed to have a target on his back all night, gave away a silly grapple penalty and was placed on report, giving Souths further headaches. Goodwin stepped up and kicked the goal to make the difference fourteen.

Chris Sandow would again prove to be the spark Souths needed when he didn't give up on his own kick to score his and his team's second try.

Souths sniffed a comeback but it was a shortlived one when Michael Ennis sensed the Bulldogs were in trouble and booted a 40/20 but they dropped it off the next play.

Luke Patten would reverse a pretty forgettable night early on after pouncing on a picture perfect Kimmorley kick scoring his 100th NRL try and making the lead unassailable. Josh Morris would feed on some comical work from two Souths defenders to blow the scoreline out to 32-12 and keep his sides slim finals hopes alive.

Match Details
Canterbury Bulldogs 32 defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 21 - Friday July 30, 2010 7:35pm
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Referee: Matt Cecchin and Jared Maxwell
Video Referee: Bill Harrigan
Touch Judges: David Munro and Jeff Younis
Crowd: 15,312
Halftime: Canterbury Bulldogs 18 South Sydney Rabbitohs 6

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Brett Kimmorley
2 Points - Ryan Tandy
1 Point - Chris Sandow (2 Tries)

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (32)
Tries: Chris Armit, Luke Patten, Steve Turner, Josh Morris, Bryson Goodwin
Conversions: Bryson Goodwin (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Bryson Goodwin (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (12)
Tries: Chris Sandow (2)
Conversions: Issac Luke (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to a cold ANZ Stadium for tonight's clash between Canterbury Bankstown and South Sydney. Souths will looking to produce back to back victories following their 38-28 victory over New Zealand, Canterbury meanwhile want to reverse their luck after a loss to the runaway Parramatta Eels.
TEAM CHANGES:

Canterbury: Shane Neumann is out, Jamal Idris goes to centre, Michael Hodgson to second row and Ben Roberts makes his return on the bench.

Souths: Beau Champion has pulled out with an injury, Jamie Simpson slots into the centres with Issac Luke going onto the bench and Beau Falloon starting the match.
Toyota Cup:

Earlier in the National Youth Competition, Canterbury Bankstown were victors to keep their charge to the finals alive with a 25 points to 12 victory.
1 min: Both teams have made their way onto the park, with South Sydney kicking off tonight.
2 min: Burgess tries to take on the Bulldogs defence but drops it, inviting Canterbury into their red zone.
4 min: TRY
Canterbury are first on the board tonight. Barba stabs a kick between Merrit's legs and into the waiting hands of Goodwin to score. Goodwin struggles but gets it over for the conversion.
Canterbury Bulldogs 6-0
5 min: Luke Patten makes a bad error off the kick off, catching the ball infield and setting on the dead ball line. Dropout.
6 min: Souths will apply more pressure, with a strip on Burgess penalised.
7 min: Fetuli Talanoa might have a try but checking foot on the line and there is a hint of a forward pass. Video Referee agrees and it's no try, Talanoa stepped out.
8 min: Both sides can't hold onto the pill, with Hannant dropping it this time.
9 min: A shocking last tackle from Sandow, shanking it straight to Best who is mauled by Idris who forces a changeover.
11 min: Burgess is being helped by the referee tonight, in three touches he's recieved two penalties. This time for the marker straying in the play the ball.
12 min: Souths are trying to spread it wide too early resulting in knock ons, this time from Pettybourne. Pattern conversely is having a shocker for Canterbury, dropping his second pass.
13 min: Sam Burgess is in all the action thus far but this time he has knocked it on, with fellow prop Ben Hannant knocking it out,
14 min: Canterbury have got a roll on now, with Kimmorley taking a quick play the ball and recieving the penalty.
15 min: The football is like a cake of soap tonight, Michael Ennis trying to scoop one up from dummy-half spills it this time.
17 min: Canterbury are making metres at will but drop it through Idris. Souths reply back charging downfield and getting a penalty for Michael Ennis grappling Sandow.
20 min: Canterbury put on a nice last tackle play with Morris kicking for the in-goal and trapping Sutton for a drop out.
23 min: TRY
Both Dogs wingers have tries now, with a nice overlap and spread to Turner who touches down in the corner. Goodwin has another difficult attempt from the sideline but slots it again.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-0
27 min: Souths get another 50/50 penalty with a three man tackle deemed a strip when the ball popped out.
28 min: A pretty good defensive set for Canterbury there but Kimmorley tries to do too many things at once and fumbles a bat back.
30 min: TRY
An innovative scrum play from Souths, Issac Luke packed in at lock leaving Sandow free to weave his way to the line for Souths opening points. Luke in his return game kicks his first conversion.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-6
35 min: Canterbury have a nice opportunity to restore the twelve point buffer after Sandow drops a high bomb.
37 min: TRY
How are South Sydney in the top eight with shirt grabbing defence like that? Chris Armit takes a Kimmorley offload and makes a determined run past some turnstyle defenders to slide in and score. Goodwin makes it three from three with another successful conversion.
Canterbury Bulldogs 18-6
38 min: The cake of soap is back, with Ben Barba dropping a simple pass on his own twenty metre line.
39 min: Souths again can't control possession after Wesser gets a desperate pass away to Talanoa who spills it easily.
39 min: Andrew Ryan celebrates his contract extension with a drop ball from another simple pass. Souths will have a scrum twenty out.
40 min: Some good on-line defence from Canterbury saved the day with Souths attacking their line. They get a penalty to finish the half and lead 18 points to 6.
41 min: Canterbury and Souths have returned to the field, with Canterbury kicking off the second half proceedings.
41 min: Canterbury and Souths have returned to the field, with Canterbury kicking off the second half proceedings.
42 min: Ben Lowe works over Jamal Idris too much for the referee's liking and penalised.
44 min: PENALTY GOAL
Burgess is getting a bit ill-disciplined here, penalised for a grapple on barba. Canterbury opt for the penalty goal and kick it. Meanwhile Roberts makes his return for Ben Barba.
Canterbury Bulldogs 20-6
47 min: Souths will pile on some more pressure after Stagg is penalised for working over Issac Luke.
52 min: TRY
Chris Sandow shows why you shouldn't give up on a play, he kicked it for himself and while everyone else was watching it Sandow swooped in and scored. Luke has no problems again adjacent to the posts.
Canterbury Bulldogs 20-12
55 min: Souths are opening the Canterbury defence with some second phase play but they try to shift it wide once too often and Best is taken over the sideline.
57 min: Ennis sensing his team were in a spot of trouble, boots it deep and gets his side a 40/20
58 min: Kimmorley tries a short side play off the scrum and drops the ball. Souths take it downfield but Simpson drops the ball.
59 min: John Sutton has saved the day for Souths and stopped Dene Halatau scoring, confirmed by the video referee.
61 min: Michael Ennis doesn't do his side any favours trying to rake the ball on fourth tackle and gets penalised. Souths have a full set in the Bulldogs half.
64 min: Souths are getting the better of the territory now but can't convert it into points.
65 min: Off a shocker of a kick from Sutton, Goodwin tries to bring it back but Sandow rakes it out, getting it back for his team.
68 min: Canterbury are holding on, with the South Sydney halves panicing late in the tackle count and producing dumb plays.
69 min: Luke Patten could have his 100th NRL try but checking with the video referee.
70 min: TRY
Luke Patten has had a shocker but all but makes up for it with his 100th career try after a chip kick from Kimmorley. Goodwin makes it five from five with another conversion.
Canterbury Bulldogs 26-12
71 min: The Dogs are all over Souths now, with the backline combing to put Goodwin away but he caught by Merrit who steals the ball.
74 min: Canterbury are trying to offload it too often now, Michael Ennis has several swipes at the ball and comes up empty with all of them dropping it.
75 min: Souths are definitely done with some sloppy work on the end of the sets, this time Sutton throws it forward highlighting an less than stellar night for himself.
76 min: Ben Lowe gets a penalty for a lacklustre Souths side after Hannant wrestles the ball free.
77 min: Sam Burgess shows some skill for a forward giving a flick on to Merrit who dabbles a kick behind to Patten who takes it over the sideline.
78 min: Canterbury are pinged for a forward pass allowing Souths a chance for a consolation try but Burgess who seems to be carrying an injury drops the ball.
79 min: Luke is penalised but the referee says you can thank Burgess for the penalty. Canterbury try a flashy play but they drop it.
80 min: TRY
Josh Morris has scored off a kick from the first tackle and picking up the scraps from a Souths collision to score his mandatory try. Goodwin has a perfect kicking record for the night, kicking this one as well.
Canterbury Bulldogs 32-12