A 77th-minute Blacktown Sea Eagles try consigned the NZ Warriors to a devastating 28-22 loss in Saturday’s Round 24 New South Wales Cup match at 4 Pines Park in Sydney.
After sliding to a 16-0 halftime deficit, the Warriors seized the momentum in the second half with an up-tempo performance which saw them charge back into the contest.
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When Jacob Laban steamed onto a short ball to score in the 71st minute – with Taine Tuaupiki converting – the Warriors had drawn level 22-22 and seemed destined for victory.
A Tuaupiki field goal was charged down and from the resulting set both Zyon Maiu’u and Laban were denied tries. It proved to be the only invitation the Sea Eagles needed.
They surged downfield, kept the ball alive on the last with the ball finding its way into Ben Condon’s hands wide on the left where he pumped up a cross-field kick to the right, NRL wing Jaxson Paulo leaping to snatch and cross for a try that broke the Warriors’ hearts.
In the first 40 minutes the fourth-placed visitors had left themselves with a huge challenge.
They conceded an early try to former Warrior Matt Lodge, let in two more without response and went to the break 16 points in arrears.
The second half saw something of a sea change as the they lifted their intensity in all areas, constantly troubling the home side up the middle.
The benefits soon came with centre Moala Graham-Taufa proving irresistible as he scored on the right in the 44th minute and after 53 minutes he had a double steaming onto a superb ball from Paul Roache. With Tuaupiki converting both the Warriors were well and truly in business after pulling back to 16-12.
Minutes later Roache bombed high to the left, Edward Kosi winning the contest and off-loading to his centre Eddie Ieremia who raced away to score in the corner. Tuaupiki couldn’t convert from the touchline but now the game was all locked up at 16-16.
They could not find a go-ahead try and instead went behind 16-22 with 16 minutes to play before Laban’s try levelled it up again only to then allow the Sea Eagles to administer their terminal blow.
The Warriors remain in the mix at the top of the table but face tough tests against top sides Canterbury Bankstown and Newtown in their last two games.
Meanwhile, hopes of a second consecutive win came unstuck for the Warriors when they fell 36-10 loss to Manly in their Round 24 Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) match at 4 Pines Park on Saturday.
The Warriors had rebounded from a tough period in their season with a 22-10 victory over South Sydney in their previous outing, boosting confidence for their encounter with the highly-ranked Sea Eagles.
They stayed in the fight in a scoreless first quarter but lapses in the second quarter and straight after halftime effectively decided the outcome.
With three tries in the space of 15 minutes Manly led 18-0 at halftime and then 24-0 in the opening moments of the second half.
The Warriors momentarily stopped the bleeding with a try to Ratu Naborisi but two more home tries stretched the margin to 34-6 before the Warriors had the final say with a late try to wing Garry Tuilekutu.
The result leaves the Warriors 12th on the table ahead of another demanding assignment against the second-placed Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at Go Media Stadium on Saturday.