Match Details
Match Date	27th Mar, 2011
Opponent	Sydney Roosters
Result	Win 24-20
Coach	Kevin Moore
Captain	Andrew Ryan
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	23,723
Referee	Ashley Klein Adam Devcich

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have kicked off a season with three straight wins for the first time in 16 years, scoring a 24-20 victory over the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The win over the Roosters means the Bulldogs are the only side in the NRL to win their first three matches with next week's opponents Melbourne favourites to join them after they play North Queensland in Monday Night Football.

Whatever happens in Townsville, the Bulldogs finished Sunday alone on top of the competition ladder after starting the season by toughing out their third win in succession for the first time since Premiership year 1995.

Played in rainy conditions and in front of 23,723 Members and fans, the Bulldogs sprinted out to an early 12 point lead through two converted tries before falling two points adrift of the Roosters just before half time.

Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore handed Frank Pritchard his first start for the Bulldogs and after nine minutes he was glad he did, with the big second rower slipping a ball that put Andrew Ryan into space 20 metres out from the Bulldogs line.

Ryan put it through the hands to Michael Ennis, who completed the movement by touching down under the posts for an early 6-nil lead.

From the kick off the Dogs were back on the attack and soon would have their second try, with Frank-Paul Nuuausala giving the home side field position after being one metre offside at the kick off.

Five plays later the Dogs went in again, with Jamal Idris soaring to claim a Trent Hodkinson cross field kick to score.

Again Goodwin converted to put the Dogs out to a 12-nil lead in little more than even time.

The Roosters hit back on 18 minutes through a converted try to controversial wonder boy Todd Carney, which sparked a revival that saw the Roosters lead by two just before half time

They'd eventually cross three times for the half, with Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Jake Friend both getting favourable calls from the video referee to take the lead at 14-12.

Through this period the Bulldogs were starved of possession, and they were soon starved of personnel with David Stagg assisted from the field with concussion suffered in a head clash.

Despite all this the Dogs struck back in the 40th minute to head into the sheds ahead on the scoreboard, Ben Barba taking a sweet inside ball before sprinting away to score for a vital 18-14 lead.

A Goodwin penalty goal seven minutes after the resumption put the Dogs ahead by a converted try, a buffer that was extended to 10 points on 53 minutes when Hodkinson put Barba away for his second four pointer of the match.

However the 24-14 buffer wasn't enough to spare the Bulldogs some headaches coming down the stretch, with the Roosters hitting back once more through a converted try Kenny-Dowall, who joined Barba in bagging doubles for the match.

And yet despite some spirited efforts from the visitors inside the final ten minutes a period they played with just 12 men after Sam Perrett left the field with a broken ankle after they'd exhausted their interchanges the Bulldogs hung on to claim yet another well earned victory.

The Bulldogs have eight days to wait for their next match, a tantalising away fixture against fellow front runners the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.

Source: AAP

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