NRL: Raiders record first home victory

Josh McCrone and Sam Williams of the Raiders celebrate a try. Photo / Getty Images

Raiders 20
Bulldogs 12

It's a far cry from their remarkable run to last year's NRL finals but things are definitely looking up for Canberra after they toppled their second heavyweight opponent in as many weeks with a 20-12 win over Canterbury on Friday night.

Fresh from last weekend's stunning upset of Melbourne, the Raiders held off a fast-finishing Bulldogs side who scored twice in the final 15 minutes to set up a thrilling finish, Jarrod Croker finally icing the game two minutes from time with a penalty goal from 30 metres out.

The position from which he kicked it was eerily similar to the one from which Croker missed at a crucial moment in last year's finals loss to Wests Tigers, but there was no repeat this time around as it sailed between the posts to calm a nervous crowd.

The win wasn't enough to lift the Raiders off the bottom of the ladder, but they are now just four competition points behind eighth-placed Wests Tigers ahead of next week's first bye of the season.

When they return to action they are expected to do so with former NSW Origin pivot Terry Campese back on deck for the first time this year and with temperatures dropping the Raiders appear to be warming to the task.

That they held a 10-0 halftime lead was almost beyond belief, with Bulldogs dominating possession and field position at a ratio of three to one over the opening half hour.

The Raiders, who did their best to give the Bulldogs a leg-up with a host of dropped balls - some of their own doing and another pair as a result of fearsome Jamal Idris tackles - made the most of their limited opportunities.

Their first foray into the Bulldogs half saw Joe Picker pluck a bomb from Ben Barba's grasp, which the home side shuffled out for Joel Thompson to make it 4-0.

It did little to halt their errors however as the visitors pitched a tent in Canberra's 20 metre zone, the frustrations growing with each failed attempt to get over the line.

Skipper Andrew Ryan only added to the pain when he saw his pass get picked off by Reece Robinson, who ran 40 metres to go over untouched just short of the half hour.

The fine line between brilliance and calamitous was never more obvious than when Ben Barba athletically tapped a Sam Williams kick that was headed for a 40-20 back infield, his best efforts in vain as Robinson pounced on the ball.

Picker crashed over on the next tackle but the Raiders weren't safe at 16-0, Frank Pritchard setting up tries for Josh Morris and Barba - who finished off a 50 metre movement - to give the Bulldogs momentum which only ended with Croker's penalty goal.

CANBERRA 20 (J Picker R Robinson J Thompson tries J Croker 4 goals) bt CANTERBURY 12 (B Barba J Morris tries S Turner 2 goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Shayne Hayne, Chris James. Crowd: 12,865.