Tigers 26
Cowboys 16
He may have left his kicking boots at home but there was nothing wrong with Benji Marshall's dancing shoes as the Wests Tigers maestro orchestrated a dramatic 26-16 come from behind win over North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Monday night.
Down 16-0 midway through the opening half against a side above only Melbourne on the ladder, the Tigers kept alive their hopes of a top two finish as they ran in six unanswered tries.
Marshall set up three of them and finished off the job with a 70 metre solo effort in the final minute.
But the Tigers No.6 was very nearly the villain as he missed his opening four shots at goal, which left the sides locked at 16-all deep into the game.
Then with just over three minutes left on the clock, after the Tigers had declined a 38 metre penalty goal shot and Marshall had missed a field goal from point blank range, the Kiwi five-eighth fed Liam Fulton who dived over for the clincher.
The Tigers had the best of the position and possession during the opening exchanges, yet somehow they found themselves trailing 16-0 before the half hour.
A pinpoint Johnathan Thurston kick after five minutes found a wandering Lote Tuqiri out of position as Ashley Graham touched down out wide.
The visitors were over again soon after when Daniel Fitzhenry dropped a bomb to give Ben Harris an opportunity to dive over from the ensuing scrum win before Arana Taumata - a Tiger just four weeks ago - scythed through from halfway for a 16-0 lead.
Finally the Tigers showed some patience as Tuqiri finished a seamless backline movement to give hope of a second half comeback, the home side rewarding the Leichhardt faithful with three tries in the opening 14 minutes of the second period to get back on level terms.
Liam Fulton did brilliantly to swivel and pass as he fell to the ground to send Mitch Brown over before Blake Ayshford got the Tigers within four when he did just enough to score from short range.
Marshall fed off that energy as he chipped ahead and regathered from inside his own half, Tuqiri deservedly finishing off the play as he touched down in the corner to lock it up at 16 apiece with 25 minutes remaining.
- AAP
