Warriors hold out against Roosters

A piece of magic from Shaun Johnson has helped to carry the Warriors to a tense 12-10 NRL win over the Sydney Roosters in Auckland.

Johnson stepped his way to the try-line with 16 minutes to go on Sunday and Issac Luke’s fourth goal made it an eight-point game.

But the Warriors had to survive a nervous final 10 minutes after Connor Watson scored a converted try in a movement featuring three off-loads.

Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall then made a huge break that threatened another four-pointer but his attempted pass went astray.

The win was the Warriors’ third in a row and took them into the top eight.

They were made to work against a side sitting second bottom and missing Origin pair Blake Ferguson and Aidan Guerra, but who produced plenty of excellent scrambling defence.

The opening spell was a messy affair from both sides, with misdirected passes and dropped ball.

The Warriors suffered an early injury setback with five-eighth Thomas Leuluai going off with a gash to his head.

They then found themselves a man down midway through the opening spell.

Wing Ken Maumalo was sinbinned for obstructing opposite number Joseph Manu as the latter chased a kick into the in-goal.

Up a man, the Roosters pounced, with prop Jared Waerea-Hargeaves, despite having three tacklers on him, producing the offload that led to a try for back rower Mitch Aubusson.

Sio Suia Taukeiaho couldn’t add the extras and the Warriors responded with a Luke penalty.

The home side avoided more damage when a man down and Maumalo came back and made amends by racking up 181 run metres.

Luke added two more penalties early in the second half to edge the home side ahead in the 57th minute before Johnson pushed them further in front.

The Warriors had young forward Toafofoa Sipley put on report for an alleged chicken wing tackle on Kane Evans.

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