Match Details
Match Date	12th Jun, 2006
Opponent	Canberra
Result	Loss 26-28
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Tony Grimaldi
Venue	Homebush (Telstra Stadium)
Crowd	12,541
Referee	Gavin Badger

Canberra secured its third successive NRL victory with a remarkable 28-26 win against the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium.

The Raiders endured the worst possible start to the contest falling 10-0 down and losing both Michael Hodgson and Simon Woolford for the match after just 10 minutes.

However three tries to finish the half and two quick ones after the break put the Raiders in a seemingly match-winning lead at 28-10.

But the Dogs rallied, scoring three tries in 13 minutes to reduce the deficit to 28-26 setting the stage for a tense final 10 minutes.

With just two fit men left on the bench the Raiders were vulnerable to a heart-breaking defeat, but Canberra somehow managed to hold on for a tough victory and secure its third successive win - a feat they had not achieved since their four-match streak to start last year.

Both sides scored five tries but in a rare off day with the boot Dogs goalkicker Hazem El Masri missed two sideline attempts while Raiders skipper Clinton Schifcofske landed four from five attempts to go with his two superb individual tries.

It was a courageous win for the Raiders after losing two key players in the first 10 minutes.

Hodgson limped off after three minutes with ankle ligament damage after a tackle on Dogs winger Matt Utai while Woolford injured his shoulder also trying to stop the nuggety winger six minutes later.

Utai started the Dogs' scoring in the sixth minute.

Prop Chris Armit barged over carrying four defenders in the 10th minute after the Dogs enjoyed a weight of possession.

But the Raiders were sparked into action in the 14th minute by a superb solo effort by Schifcofske who got the ball 15m out in the middle of the paddock and ran around the Bulldogs defence to touch down one-handed in the corner.

Winger David Howell then scored a miraculous try from basically the second row of the grandstand to get the Raiders back level 10-all on the half hour.Howell got on the outside of Utai and grounded the ball with his right hand as the defender pushed him over the sidelines.

Only the ball and Howell's arm below his elbow was left in the field of play at the time of grounding while his knee and foot were just inches from the grass. Video referee Bill Harrigan awarded the try, applying the "benefit of the doubt" rule.

Prop Michael Weyman, playing his first NRL game since round five 2005 after a horrific string of injuries, scored next to the posts after busting over three Dogs defenders with Schifcofske's conversion handing the Raiders a 16-10 halftime lead.

Schifcofske scored his second just three minutes after the break after a 30m bust by Weyman and then centre Phil Graham's 60m intercept try gave Canberra a handy 28-10 lead.

But tries to Utai, Dallas McIlwain and Luke Patten gave the Dogs a sniff of victory which was only denied by some desperate Raiders defence.

Source: AAP

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