Prop’s shock kick earns Raiders late win over Dragons

[Pelican Press 0]

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Prop’s shock kick earns Raiders late win over Dragons

Canberra are praying for a miracle after a late try from the most unlikely of sources helped them overcome St George Illawarra 26-24 and keep their NRL finals hopes alive, if only theoretically.

Down by four points with two minutes remaining on Saturday, Corey Horsburgh attempted to grubber through for himself 10 metres from the Dragons’ line.

The big prop mistimed the kick, shinning it horribly, but somehow ended up with the footy and crashed over to stun the 11,189 in attendance at Jubilee Stadium.

Young fullback Kaeo Weekes iced the conversion from the sideline to put the Raiders’ noses in front and seal a famous win after trailing from minute one to 78.

Horsburgh was starting in his third consecutive game for Canberra after barely featuring this season, amid reports he has been offered a release from his contract to discuss a move to rival clubs next season.

Two points ahead of Newcastle and the Dolphins but with inferior points difference, the Raiders will be glued to the TV screen on Sunday afternoon, with a draw at McDonald Jones Stadium their only hope of playing finals.

But they won’t be deluding themselves that their season is anything but over.

Nevertheless, the Raiders can celebrate three straight wins to cap a frustrating year, which oscillated between heroic wins and woeful floggings.

Dragons lock Tom Eisenhuth got his side on the board in the first set of the game, crashing over after Zac Lomax outleaped Albert Hopoate under a Ben Hunt *****.

The suspect defence on display left no doubt as to why both sides likely won’t be playing finals footy.

******* Jacob Liddle brushed off weak tackles from Danny Levi, Hudson Young and Weekes to ****** over as the Dragons raced away to an 18-0 lead in the first 12 minutes.

After Levi hit back for the Raiders off a Jamal Fogarty grubber, Canberra winger Hopoate made a mess trying to field a bouncing ball in his in-goal, allowing Lyhkan King-Togia to pounce on the leftovers and score his first try in the NRL.

The Dragons had some shockers of their own in defence.

Canberra winger Xavier Savage brushed off a tackle from future teammate Savelio Tamale on his NRL debut to score in the corner and reduce the margin to 14.

Coach Ricky Stuart must have sent a rocket up the Raiders at halftime.

They came out with renewed steel in defence and scored through Hopoate and Young, before Horsburgh’s unlikely finish sealed the result.

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