Match Details
Match Date	8th Jun, 2013
Opponent	North Queensland
Result	Win 36-26
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Townsville (1300 Smiles Stadium)
Crowd	12,775
Referee	Matt Cecchin Adam Gee

If Josh Reynolds suffered an inferiority complex from not getting on the field in Origin I and then being forced to wear jersey No.19 last night, he soon shrugged it off.

The 80,381st spectator at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night after being left on the bench by Blues coach Laurie Daley, five-eighth Reynolds put late inclusion Tony Williams over for the try, that put Canterbury ahead for the final time in their win over the Cowboys in Townsville. 

His bomb then provided the touchdown that assured Canterbury of victory and a place in the top eight, as the Bulldogs, scored 24 unanswered points and four tries in a 22-minute period against a North Queensland side whose coach Neil Henry is reportedly under intense pressure.

The coaching grim reaper stalked Henry on the same day that a mythical stork visited his captain, Johnathan Thurston, who           welcomed a baby girl and did not play because of a groin injury. He failed a Saturday morning fitness test. 

An entertaining first half finished in a 12-12 deadlock, with the Cowboys having led for six minutes but impressing for the entire 40. 

The opening try came after 22 minutes, Michael Ennis releasing Greg Eastwood with a gem of a pass in midfield. The New Zealand international seemed to have muffed a certain try by dummying to Ben Barba. 

But after defender Brent Tate hit Eastwood front behind, he still had the strength to stay on his feet and belatedly off-load to fullback Barba, who scored. 

Halfback Trent Hodkinson’s conversion got the Bulldogs off the mark in a game they were expect ed to win in a canter. 

But centre Tate's response seven minutes later was a beauty. Glenn Hall laid on a nice pass for fullback Greenshields, who roared into the clear, drew the remaining defence and put the Queensland Origin winger away. 

The conversion was halfback Robert Lui’s first at NRL level.

Second-rower Hall’s role as a creator of attacking opportunities continued when he piloted Greenshields into another hole not long afterwards. On this occasion, the Canterbury defence managed to round him up - but not to prevent a touchdown. 

Five-eighth Michael Morgan's handy flick pass gave lock Dallas Johnson - smashed in an earlier tackle by Frank Pritchard - his first try of the season. 

But the second Bulldogs try of the round 13 contest was worryingly easy from the point of view of besieged Cowboys coach Neil Henry. 

From a scrum 15 metres out, Barba beat the despairing tackle of Morgan and the cover of Tariq Sims to plunge over, Hodkinson tying up the scores.

The Cowboys regained the lead shortly after half-time when Lui their best player on Saturday night grubber-kicked into the Canterbury   in-goal and Barba fumbled. 

Greenshields was on the spot to touch down and Lui goaled before giving his side a 20-12 advantage eight minutes later when Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano was penalised for a shoulder charge. 

But once again, Canterbury managed to respond with a try that looked nothing if not simple. 

After a penalty, Ennis and Hodkinson combined before Barba chimed into the back line eight metres out and lofted a beautifully weighted pass to winger Mitch Brown, who crossed just inside the corner post. 

Hodkinson's good run with the boot continued from the sideline with the help of a ricochet of the woodwork. 

The Cowboys then clung grimly to their two-point advantage, almost adding to it when Lui pounced on a bobbling Canterbury pass and off-loaded to Kalifa FaiFai Loa near halfway at 61 minutes.

Source: The Sun Herald

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