Resilient Bulldogs hold impotent Raiders

Canterbury have their first win in two months after holding out an impotent Canberra Raiders side in Canberra in front of 11,194 people.

The X factor Ben Barba started in his second game at five-eighth and he was an immediate success opening up the Raiders in the seventh minute to send Josh Morris over for the opening try. Barba then burst through the line himself, palming off several flimsy efforts to make the score 12-0.

Canterbury wouldn't relent though, David Stagg going through the line and drawing the fullback to send Luke Patten over for an imposing 18-0 scoreline after twenty minutes. Canberra finally hit back in the 25th minute with Joel Monaghan taking a great Campese pass to score but Jarrod Croker couldn't convert making it 18-4.

That try got Canberra on a small roll on with the swing of possesion going their way and they got their chance when Brett Kimmorley conceded a silly penalty to give them a repeat set. Joel Thompson would give the Raiders the try after he linked up with Bronson Harrison, Jarrod Croker made no mistake this time, making the score 18-10 at halftime.

The second half was all Canberra, with 75% of the game being played in Canterbury's half but the Raiders could only force several repeat sets. Canterbury repelled them every time they got within the red zone and got a well earned victory, their first in two months.

Match Details
Canberra Raiders 10 were defeated by Canterbury Bulldogs 18
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 16 - Monday June 28, 2010 7:00pm
Venue: Canberra Stadium
Referee: Shayne Hayne and Chris James
Video Referee: Bill Harrigan
Touch Judges: Luke Potter and Russell Turner
Crowd: 11,194
Halftime: Canberra Raiders 10 Canterbury Bulldogs 18

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - David Stagg
2 Points - Ben Barba (1 Try)
1 Point - Tom Learoyd-Lahrs

CANBERRA RAIDERS (10)
Tries: Joel Monaghan, Joel Thompson
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (1/2)

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (18)
Tries: Luke Patten, Ben Barba, Josh Morris
Conversions: Bryson Goodwin (3/3)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to Monday Night football, tonight at Canberra Stadium. Both team will be looking for a vital win to keep themselves close to the top eight. Canterbury moreso since tonight is their last chance saloon to start a run to finals footy.
Changes:

Bulldogs - Jamal Idris will shift to the second row, shifting Gary Warburton to the bench, with Shane Neumann playing centre. Brad Morrin falls off the bench.

Canberra - Josh Dugan will return and replace David Milne.
Toyota Cup:

Canterbury have caused an upset over the highly fancied Canberra side 30 points to 26, helping them climb up the ladder.
Earlier Canterbury won the coin toss, with Andrew Ryan electing to run north to south, making Canberra kick off.
1 min: Joel Monaghan gets us underway.
2 min: Canberra make the first handling error with Learoyd Lars dropping a Campese pass to his chest.
3 min: Jamal Idris makes his first error in the pack, dropping a hard pass from Ben Barba, in a good attacking position.
4 min: Both teams not finishing their sets, this time Adam Mogg drops the pill.
5 min: Penalty Bulldogs, Tom Learoyd Lars lays on Jamal Idris too long.
7 min: TRY
Nice movement by the Bulldogs, Ben Barba creates the second man play and Pattern gets it onto Morris who wrestles away from Josh Dugan to score first points. Goodwin with a nice conversion.
Canterbury Bulldogs 6-0
9 min: Bulldogs retrieve a Canberra kick and try to spread it wide early but Neumann juggles and drops it.
10 min: Canterbury hold firm defending their own line, getting numbers in and pushing Bronson Harrison over the sideline.
17 min: TRY
Ben Barba shows why he should of been starting, backing up a nice Tandy pass, beats several Raiders defenders to cross the stripe. Goodwin kicks it from in front.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-0
19 min: TRY
Canterbury are in again! David Stagg this time makes a break down the middle drawing in Dugan before getting it to Patten to stoll over. Goodwin makes no mistake again.
Canterbury Bulldogs 18-0
23 min: Josh Miller fresh on the field, earns his side a penalty and a great opportunity to get on the scoreboard.
25 min: TRY
Canberra are finally on the board. Terry Campese launches a beautiful cut-out to beat Turner and land it on Monaghan's chest to score. Jarrod Croker misses his first attempt at conversions.
Canterbury Bulldogs 18-4
29 min: Vidot knocks the ball out of Patten's grasp but it's deemed a Canberra knock on. Another set to Canterbury.
30 min: Penalty Canberra, because a Canterbury player jumped for the ball but knocked it into a team mate.
31 min: Silly pass by Joel Monaghan, gifting the Bulldogs great field position.
32 min: Canberra will start a set on the halfway stripe after a high tackle penalty against David Stagg.
35 min: Brett Kimmorley drops the shoulder and takes out Croker, penalty Canberra.
37 min: TRY
Joel Thompson shows some good strength to get over the line, after a nice pass from Bronson Harrison. Croker makes no mistake this time, kicking the goal.
Canterbury Bulldogs 18-10
40 min: Joel Monaghan and Croker get mixed up and let a bomb bounce but luckily it just goes over the sideline.
40 min: Canberra nearly pull something out of nothing at the death, with Jarrod Croker kicking for himself and nearly recovering but Luke Patten recovers just in time. Hafltime of an entertaining clash.
41 min: Both teams are back out of the sheds, coaches words stinging in their ear. Michael Ennis gets the game back underway.
43 min: Repat set for Canberra after some enterprising play is followed up by a Campese grubber, which is knocked dead by the bulldogs.
45 min: Canberra get a penalty but can't put on some pressure with a loose pass swooped up by Ennis.
46 min: Bulldogs get a penalty for Shillington taking out Brett Kimmorley after he kicked, it seemed a tad harsh.
47 min: Repeat set for Canterbury after Dugan recovers a bomb. Campese launches a huge dropout which goes 70 metres.
48 min: Another repeat set for Canterbury, piling on the pressure when Dugan is trapped again in the in-goal.
51 min: Canberra launch a counter attack with Terry Campese recovering a grubber. They earn another set after Goodwin had to play at a ball to stop a try.
53 min: Penalty with Brett Kimmorley holding Joel Monaghan down for too long. Steve Turner isn't looking too flash after a tackle.
53 min: Michael Ennis gets pinged for holding on too long in the ruck and tries to take on Tom Learoyd Lars.
54 min: David Stagg becomes the unlikely hero saving his team and Goodwin darts out of dummy half for a penalty.
56 min: Shane Nuemann is nearly in off a Kimmorley short side raid but the pass fom Warburton to Neumann was forward.
58 min: Josh Morris drops a crucial ball in the Raiders 20, Can Canberra capitialise though?
59 min: No they can't. Canterbury defends the set well and Croker kicks it dead.
61 min: Josh Dugan earns his side a repeat set from a nice grubber trapping Luke Patten in-goal.
63 min: Canberra can't convert in the their 20 metres again, with a Dugan kick going to Patten who strolls out of the in-goal.
65 min: Penalty to the Bulldogs after Canbera inside the ten. Canberra unlucky to get a penalty after Croker was taken out.
66 min: Warburton goes through the line but doesn't take the ball with him. Scrum for the Raiders.
68 min: Dane Tilse drops it right on his ten to relieve the pressure.
73 min: Six more tackles again for Canberra, who are just peppering the Bulldogs line in the second half.
74 min: Josh Dugan produces another error close to the line, to stop the attacking raid dead.
76 min: Bronson Harrison breaks through the line but on last again Canberra are limp and Canterbury will go back to the 20.
77 min: Kimmorley drops the ball on his own 40, Can the Raiders score a try?
79 min: Canberra will need to look at their attack, so many opportunities in the Bulldogs 20 but couldn't convert.
80 min: Daniel Vidot tries an all or nothing play just before the siren but it doesn't come off and the Bulldogs have won for the first time in two months.