Storm keep the edge over the Cowboys, as Raiders pip Manly
The Melbourne Storm has continued its recent edge over the North Queensland Cowboys, with last year's premiers earning a narrow 7-6 win in Townsville.
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It was a night of narrow margins, as the Storm's victory followed a similar one-point margin as the Raiders edged out Manly in Canberra.
In what was likely the last time the Queensland greats will share a playing field, the Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith scored the Storm's only try on Friday night before Johnathon Thurston skewed a field-goal attempt well wide of the upright in the game's closing stages.
">External Link: Cowboys – Storm summary
Kyle Feldt levelled the scores in the second half before, with eight minutes on the clock, Cameron Munster picked up a poor pass from Smith to kick a field goal to give the Storm the advantage.
The defeat in Townsville is the eighth in 10 home games for the Cowboys, who at 3-9 remain second-bottom of the ladder, while the Storm move up to fourth.
External Link: Cowboys – Storm chalkboard
After a scoreless first half-hour, Smith — in his return following a one-week ban — drove through a tackle from Thurston before diving over to put the Storm in front seven minutes before the break.
Feldt got the Cowboys on the board 13 minutes into the second half when Thurston, on the fifth tackle, passed wide to Te Maire Martin, who kicked to the right wing, where the Cowboys winger leapt above Josh Addo-Carr and touched down just inside the sideline.
Thurston then converted from the sidelines to level the scores.
External Link: Cowboys – Storm stats
There was no further scores until both teams' thoughts turned to field goals.
After Munster's successful kick, Michael Morgan also missed a field goal for the Cowboys before having a try disallowed for offside against Jason Taumalolo.
Raiders down Manly with late field goal
An Aidan Sezer field goal in the dying moments has given Canberra a stunning 21-20 comeback NRL victory over Manly.
Sezer slotted his kick with 20 seconds on the clock to see the Raiders rejoice at Canberra Stadium despite being down by 12 points in the first half.
Canberra's performance in their fifth win of the season was error-riddled but they defied their late-game form this season in amazing style on Friday night.
External Link: Raiders – Sea Eagles summary
NSW bolter Nick Cotric got the Raiders going, producing a brilliant man-of-the-match effort to give his State of Origin prospects another boost.
The teenage winger scored two tries in almost identical fashion in the first half before assisting full-back Jack Wighton for the Raiders' crucial third try with five minutes to go.
Cotric put up a clever kick with Canberra down 20-14 to set up Wighton before captain Jarrod Croker converted it to level the game.
External Link: Raiders – Sea Eagles chalkboard
In a chaotic final few minutes, one of Sezer's field goal attempts was smothered before he went again to send the crowd into raptures.
The Sea Eagles stormed out of the gates, running in two of the easiest tries straight through a sleepy Raiders defence.
Tries to captain Daly Cherry-Evans and Joel Thompson saw Manly jump to a 14-2 lead after 20 minutes before Cotric's brilliance brought the Raiders back into the game.
External Link: Raiders – Sea Eagles stats
Manly centre Brian Kelly broke through Canberra's defence when the Sea Eagles were a man down following Trent Hodkinson's sin-binning midway through the second half.
Sea Eagles full-back and Origin fancy Tom Trbojevic had another blinder, running for 149m in an outstanding performance.
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