Matt Burton nails field goal in golden point as Bulldogs pull off ‘miracle win’ against the Cowboys
Matt Burton nails a crucial 30-meter field goal at the golden spot as the Bulldogs pull off a ‘miracle win’ against the Cowboys minutes after MISSING a game-winning chance with a siren kick: ‘I owed one to the boys’
- Canterbury came from behind to beat North Queensland 15-14
- Matt Burton made a crucial field goal at the golden point
- The Bulldogs trailed until Josh Addo-Carr’s last-minute try leveled the score.
Matt Burton was the hero for Canterbury as the Bulldogs cruised to a sensational 15-14 golden point win against the Cowboys at Accor Stadium to give Josh Reynolds the perfect welcome to the NRL.
The New South Wales star scored a 30-metre field goal as the home side pulled off what Fox League commentator Warren Smith described as a “miracle victory” after reaching the final minute of play.
Burton’s kicking game and a Josh Addo-Carr line break put the Bulldogs in position to make a field goal shot before the first overtime period expired Sunday night.
The first-place winner only needed one shot, clinched the result and helped the Bulldogs celebrate Josh Reynolds’ homecoming in style.
Burton’s crucial field goal made up for his missed conversion as time expired, which would have given the Bulldogs the win in regulation.
Matt Burton (left) hit a game-winning 30-yard field goal for the Bulldogs on Sunday.
Burton (centre) said he felt he “owed” his teammate to win the game after missing a crucial conversion late on 80 minutes.
“I’m over the moon,” he said on Fox League.
“In the end it was hard to miss that conversion off the bench, so I owed the guys one and I was lucky to get it.” [field goal] far to the end there.’
The Cowboys held a slight lead for most of the game and had the best opportunities in the first half.
When backup fullback Tom Chester crashed in the 59th minute, the Cowboys’ 14-6 lead looked like it could have been a winner given the tight nature of the game and difficult conditions.
In their return to play, the Bulldogs needed to overcome injuries to Raymond Faitala-Mariner (concussion), Franklin Pele (arm) and Max King (eye).
Rookie Jacob Preston had the best night of his young career and finished with two tries, the second of which was scored after webbing was sewn to his hand.
But it wasn’t until Addo-Carr cruised down the left in the final 45 seconds that the Bulldogs were able to level the score, having stayed on the attack for the final 10 minutes.
Burton’s conversion attempt hit the upright and the game went into extra time.
Fan favorite Reynolds entered the game in the 54th minute for his first game with the Bulldogs since leaving to join the Wests Tigers for the 2018 season.
The Cowboys led for most of the game and appeared to have clinched the contest when Tom Chester scored his second try with 20 minutes remaining.
Josh Addo-Carr (right) scored a last-minute try to level the score for the Dogs
His role at middle was a far cry from the five-eighth position for which Bulldogs fans best remember him, but he brought much-needed energy when the chips were down and finished with 19 tackles.
Jayden Okunbor can expect scrutiny from the match review committee for a hip-dropping tackle on Jason Taumalolo that sent the Bulldogs utility man to no-bin in the first half while teammate Raymond Faitala-Mariner failed his assessment of head injuries and he will miss the round. six.
Taumalolo managed to finish the game despite initially appearing to have sprained his ankle in Okunbor’s tackle.
Pelé will go for an ultrasound scan after sustaining an alleged broken forearm in the second half.