Storm grind out win over mistake
prone Raiders

Fulltime score: Round 18 Melbourne Storm 20 v Canberra Raiders 0

Match summary:

The Melbourne Storm have defeated the Canberra Raiders 20-0 at Olympic Park this evening.

In an error-riddled match, the Storm finished far stronger than the Raiders, leaving the Raiders scoreless for the entire eighty minutes, an embarrassment to the Raiders and a loss they could ill-afford.

The Storm are now in the top four and with a superior for and against, they will be pleased with the result as they try and build some momentum leading into the finals.

The Raiders are now drifting and the loss shows up how reliant they are on one man to win a game of football but not even Jason Smith could lift them from their mistake laden mire and they paid a heavy price with another twenty points going against them and you would have to be a brave man to think the Raiders are worthy of being a finals team this year.

Scorers: MELBOURNE STORM 20 Tries: Webster, Bell Goals: Orford 2/2, Smith 1/1 CANBERRA RAIDERS 0 Tries: Goals:

Olympic Park Melbourne Referee: Stephen Clark Half time: Storm 8-0

Live commentary: 1st min: We are underway at Olympic Park.

7th min: PENALTY GOAL - Storm. Melbourne get first points through a penalty goal to Matt Orford. Storm 2-0.

20th min: Still no change in the score but Melbourne are doing it nicely over Canberra at the moment with the Raiders giving away too many penalties and making too many errors in the opening twenty minutes.

29th min: TRY - Storm. Jake Webster scores for the Storm. Conversion successful. Storm 8-0.

HALF TIME: Melbourne hold an eight point lead at half time but should be leading by more thanks to some poor play from the Raiders. Melbourne, if they are good enough, should run away with this in the second half.

41st min: We are underway in the second half.

55th min: Still no change in the score but Melbourne are still playing the more dominant footy at the moment with the Raiders missing too many tackles and making too many mistakes.

65th min: Still no change in the score.

71st min: NEWS - Adam Mogg (Raiders) has been sent to the sin bin which means the Raiders will finish the game with 12 men. A very disappointing game of football with one try scored in the entire match so far. Canberra have made virtually no offloads and far too many errors to ever be a chance of winning this match.

77th min: TRY - Storm. Steven Bell puts the issue beyond doubt with a try to seal the match. Conversion successful. Storm 14-0.

80th min: TRY - Storm. Jake Webster gets a double as Melbourne keep the woeful Raiders scoreless. Conversion successful. Storm 20-0

FULL TIME: The Melbourne Storm have defeated a very ordinary Canberra Raiders side in Melbourne this eveing. Although the match never reached any great heights with only three tries scored in the entire match, the Storm were always in control and the loss leaves the Raiders with a very difficult road to the finals.

----------------------------------------- Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - C Smith (Storm) 2 - S Bell (Storm) 1 - J Webster (Storm) -----------------------------------------