Bulldogs comfortable winners over Dragons

Match Summary The Canterbury Bulldogs have added misery to the St George Illawarra Dragons season with a comfortable 30-18 win at ANZ Stadium tonight. The Bulldogs led 20-6 at half time and controlled the match from start to finish.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring with Matt Utai coming from nowhere to pounce on a grubber kick. The Dragons responded on the 14th minute with Chase Stanley scoring out wide. The Dragons inched ahead in the 20th minute with a Ben Hornby penalty goal.

In the 29th minute, after several disallowed tries on the right hand side the Bulldogs finally scored, with Tim Winitana scoring the first of his double. In the 34th minute Matt Utai grabbed his double, chasing down a grubber kick down the line and scoring in the corner.

Just on halftime, disaster struck for the Dragons. After a goal line drop out, Chase Stanley attempted a chip over the line, however Willie Tonga snatched the ball out of mid air and ran 60 metres untouched for a 20-6 halftime lead.

After halftime, the Bulldogs pushed up 30-6, with Sonny Bill Williams having a hand in both tries - first making a break for Danny Williams to back up on and score, and putting in a grubber kick for Winitana to claim his double.

The Dragons scored two late tries through Matt Cooper and Simon Woolford, however they left their run too late and could only reduce the margin to 12.

Match Details Canterbury Bulldogs 30 def St George Illawarra Dragons 18 Round 6 - April 19th, 2008 5:30pm Venue: ANZ Stadium Referee: Bernard Sutton Half time: Bulldogs 20-6 Crowd: 14,764

Canterbury Bulldogs 30 Tries: Matthew Utai (2), Tim Winitana (2), Willie Tonga, Danny Williams Goals: Daniel Holdsworth (3/6) St George Illawarra Dragons 18 Tries: Chase Stanley, Matt Cooper, Simon Woolford Goals: Ben Hornby (3/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Match 3 Points: Sonny Bill Williams (Bulldogs) 2 Points: Willie Tonga (Bulldogs) 1 Point: Tim Winitana (Bulldogs)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Good evening from ANZ Stadium, tonight the Bulldogs are hosting the Dragons.

Conditions are a bit slippery, both teams resplendent in their butchers stripes.

1 min: Bernard Sutton blows time on, the Dragons to get the first possession.

3 min: Willie Tonga breaks down the sideline off a Sonny Bill run, Bulldogs get a penalty and will put the Dragons under much pressure.

5 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

5 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs The Bulldogs put in a grubber and Utai is on the spot in a flash to score next to the posts. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth unsuccessful. Canterbury Bulldogs 4-0

6 min: Dragons get a scrum 20 out from a Bulldogs error

13 min: Dragons force a line dropout.

14 min: VIDEO REF - For a Dragons try...

14 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons The Dragons put in a cross kick, the ball is batted down to Chase Stanley who scores in the right corner. Conversion attempt by Ben Hornby unsuccessful. 4 all

20 min: PENALTY GOAL St George Illawarra Dragons Hornby converts a penalty goal. St George Illawarra Dragons 6-4

22 min: VIDEO REF - For a highly unlikely Bulldogs try...

22 min: NO TRY - Bulldogs. A great flowing set by the Bulldogs sees Nanai dragged into touch short of the goal line.

23 min: Dragons to go on attack after picking up their third penalty.

24 min: Dragons cough up the ball on the first tackle.

25 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

25 min: NO TRY - Bulldogs. Winitana dragged over the sideline awfully close to scoring, same corner as the last near try.

28 min: Dragons lose the ball and give away a penalty in their own half.

29 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs It finally came. Down the right side, Tim Winitana crashes over out wide. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth unsuccessful. Canterbury Bulldogs 8-6

33 min: The Dragons make another mistake.

34 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs Holdsworth puts a kick down the line, Utai wins the race to the ball to score in the corner. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth successful. Canterbury Bulldogs 14-6

37 min: Dragons get another penalty to work their way out of trouble.

40 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs Absolute DISASTER for the Dragons. Rangi Chase attempts the chip and chase on halftime, Willie Tonga snatches the ball out of mid air and runs 60 metres to score. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth successful. Canterbury Bulldogs 20-6

40 min: Back underway at ANZ, can the Bulldogs go on with it?

43 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs Sonny Bill goes straight through, finds Williams backing up and the Dogs are in again. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth successful. Canterbury Bulldogs 26-6

48 min: VIDEO REF - For a Dragons try...

48 min: NO TRY - The offload to Nightingale bounces off his chin and onto a Bulldogs player and a Matt Cooper try is rubbed out.

51 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

51 min: TRY Canterbury Bulldogs Sonny Bill puts in a grubber that is pounced on by Winitana. Conversion attempt by Daniel Holdsworth unsuccessful. Canterbury Bulldogs 30-6

59 min: Dragons on attack from a scrum 10 out.

60 min: VIDEO REF - For a Dragons try...

60 min: NO TRY - Chase Stanley hits the corner post before scoring. Little doubt on the call.

69 min: Bulldogs on attack of a penalty. Realistically, nothing important is happening in this game.

69 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

69 min: NO TRY - Nanai forced into touch short of the line.

71 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons Finally, some action! The Dragons go from right to left and Hornby finds Cooper who races away to score, all on a kick return! Conversion attempt by Ben Hornby successful. Canterbury Bulldogs 30-12

74 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons The Dragons keep the ball alive, Beau Scott breaks away and gets ankle tapped, so he passes to Woolford who scores under the posts. Conversion attempt by Ben Hornby successful. Canterbury Bulldogs 30-18

FULLTIME, the Bulldogs run out 30-18 victors over the Dragons.