Roosters bounce back against Tigers

The Sydney Roosters have survived a late scare to score a 42-28 victory over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.

The Roosters established a 30-4 lead mid-way through the second half, but the Tigers scored three tries in six minutes to get back in the game at 36-28 with just under 10 minutes remaining.

The home side started with an error in the 2nd minute, but scored in the 4th minute on their first attack of the Roosters line. Benji Marshall grubbered for Matt Utai, and he claimed the ball as Anthony Minichiello attempted to shield it into touch, scoring to put the Tigers in front 4-0.

Unwavered by the early setback, the Roosters struck back in the 9th minute, when Aidan Guerra crossed off a good short-ball by Frank-Paul Nuuausala to put the visitors in front 6-4.

On the back of four straight sets they struck again when Jared Waerea-Hargreaves scored a simple try off an Anthony Mitchell pass to stretch the lead to 12-4. But with all the momentum, Nuuausala spilled the ball from the next set and put the Tigers on the attack.

On the end of consecutive sets on the Roosters line the Tigers looked to have crossed when Ben Murdoch-Masila broke the line, but Anthony Minichiello stripped the ball and saved a try. As both sides struggled for control, the Roosters struck a vital blow right before the break with back-to-back tries.

Boyd Cordner grabbed the first when Jake Friend was ruled to have kicked the ball after fumbling it from a Nuuausala offload, with Cordner planting down under the posts in the 37th minute. He backed that up by busting the line and setting up Braith Anasta for a 24-4 halftime lead.

They struck first in the second half as well, with Lama Tasi spinning out of a tackle and crossing next to the posts to push the lead to 30-4 in the 51st minute.

The Tigers weren’t done with, as Keith Galloway crashed over next to the posts off a Benji Marshall pass to narrow the gap to 30-10 in the 56th minute. With all the momentum attacking the try-line, the Tigers put on a mad scramble on the last tackle, only for the resolute Roosters defence to hold them out.

From the ensuing set, Jake Friend broke the line from dummy half and put Mitchell Pearce over to extend the lead to 36-10 in the 61st minute.

Whilst it looked like game over, the Tigers hit back with a try of their own, as Beau Ryan ran 50m from dummy half on the end of a quick tap to narrow the gap to 36-16 with 13 minutes remaining. Two minutes later they continued their momentum as Tim Moltzen crossed to bring them well within range at 36-22.

A Chris Lawrence try in the 71st minute narrowed the gap to just 36-28, but good defence kept the Tigers at bay in the dying stages and Martin Kennedy crashed over in the 79th minute to secure a 42-28 victory.

Sydney Roosters - 42
Tries: Aidan Guerra, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Boyd Cordner, Braith Anasta, Lama Tasi, Mitchell Pearce, Martin Kennedy
Goals: Braith Anasta 7/7

Wests Tigers - 28
Tries: Matt Utai, Keith Galloway, Beau Ryan, Tim Moltzen, Chris Lawrence
Goals: Benji Marshall 4/5

Crowd: 20,327 @ Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Referees: Ben Cummins & Gavin Badger
Half Time: Sydney Roosters 24-4

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!