First half field goal gets the Bulldogs ‘home’

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Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Dolphins

A field goal from Matt Burton with seconds left in the first half proved the difference as the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs prevailed 23-22 over the Dolphins in a thriller played in Bundaberg.

In a match with multiple lead changes that finished four tries apiece, the Dolphins were left to rue a wayward conversion attempt near fulltime by Jamayne Isaako which allowed the Bulldogs to post their seventh win of the season.

In a disjointed opening which saw the flow of play dictated by the referee's whistle, the Dolphins opened the scoring via an Isaako penalty goal stemming from high contact by Jake Averillo which saw Connelly Lemuelu ruled out of the match with a failed head injury assessment.

Taking an 8-0 lead midway through proceedings following an offload from Euan Aitken inside his own half, Isaako (17th minute) latched onto the ball and streaked 70 metres down the right touchline to score his 16th try of the season. 

Opting to bring a home game to Bundaberg for the second time, the Bulldogs delighted the 5,130 supporters in attendance with Viliame Kikau (26th minute), returning from a pectoral injury after four months on the sidelines, barging over the top of Kodi Nikorima to score his first try in blue and white colours.

Hitting the front through Braidon Burns (31st minute), who left Aitken clutching for air with a powerful run, an ultimately fortuitous field goal to Burton with seconds left on the clock gave the hosts an unlikely 11-8 halftime advantage.

Squandering an early opportunity to extend their lead after Averillo dropped a pass from Jacob Preston with the try line in sight, Averillo (53rd minute) atoned for his earlier blemish with a try against his future teammates. 

Responding to the one-way flow of points by injecting Anthony Milford into the game, the Dolphins got the desired response with Aitken splitting the Bulldogs through the middle of the field, allowing Milford (57th minute) to take advantage of the retreating defence from close range.

In a sliding doors moments which saw Tevita Pangai Jr denied by the bunker at one end of the field for a double movement, the Dolphins returned fire with Valynce Te Whare (64th minute) charging over to give the visitors a one-point lead.

In a thrilling finale which saw a potential match-clinching try to Isaako pulled up for an obstruction, a cut-out pass from Toby Sexton enabled Blake Wilson (69th minute) to touch down to take a five-point lead following Burton's successful sideline conversion. 

Felise Kaufusi provided the Dolphins with a late opportunity to claim victory with a tackle that forced a turnover, however, despite the best efforts of Milford (78th minute) to score his second of the afternoon, Isaako's wayward conversion allowed the Bulldogs to hold on for a one-point win.

Next week, the Bulldogs will have their final bye of the season, while the Dolphins will face the in-form Knights in Perth on Saturday evening.