By Richard Becht
Luke Hanson snapped a 78th-minute field goal to propel the One New Zealand Warriors to a dramatic 29-28 win in their round four New South Wales Cup contest against Western Suburbs at Go Media Stadium on Friday night.
After his impressive NRL debut last week, Hanson had a one-point attempt charged down moments earlier but he didn’t lose his nerve, positioning himself perfectly to calmly slot the winner.
In a battle which had little in it throughout, they Warriors had taken a 22-16 lead through a powerhouse Bishop Neal try in the 58th minute but then undid all the work as they conceded two tries within three minutes to allow the Magpies to go ahead 28-22 with just over 10 minutes to play.
With six to go they still had the advantage but the Warriors struck from distance down a short side on their right edge, fullback Geronimo Doyle bouncing out of dummy half, finding Neal who flicked the ball on to winger Haizyn Mellars who broke down the touchline before passing back inside for Neal to run around to score between the posts.
Jack Thompson’s conversion had it all locked up at 28-28 with five minutes to play.
The Warriors worked their way back downfield aided by a six-again to ultimately give Hanson his shot at glory before hanging on in the frantic final minute and a half.
Earlier NRL centre Ali Leiataua started the Warriors' scoring in an up and down battle, showing power and poise to go over after the Magpies had struck first.
Nine minutes from halftime, flying winger Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira was given all the room he needed, his pace doing the rest for the Warriors’ second down the left edge.
Straight after the break, the Warriors moved the ball slickly to the right for Mellars to score his seventh try of the season.
The win gives the Warriors’ a 2-2 record ahead of their fifth-round match against the Newtown Jets at Henson Park on Saturday week
