League: Warriors overcome adversity to pip Roosters

SYDNEY - The New Zealand Warriors expressed their mounting frustration at three controversially disallowed tries by staging a spectacular 24-22 comeback win over the Sydney Roosters to keep their National Rugby League (NRL) play-off hopes alive here tonight.

Looking primed to explode after the multiple setback at Aussie Stadium, the Warriors reverted to their old razzle dazzle to erase a 8-22 deficit with three sparkling long-range tries inside the final quarter to win a real nail biter.

Hooker Lance Hohaia scored either side of a Brent Webb break-out to overhaul the Roosters, whose cause was aided by touch judge David Abood, who Warriors' coach Tony Kemp said ruled out three legitimate tries.

Abood twice rubbed out first half tries to wing Francis Meli for marginal forward passes and crucially intervened again to deny Todd Byrne 10 minutes after the break as Monty Betham and Anthony Tupou staged a wrestling match near halfway.

Abood recommended referee Tim Mander -- who allowed a Parramatta try against St George Illawarra amid a brawl last week -- penalise Betham for instigating the stand-off.

"I thought it was a try, there was nothing in it. We had exactly the same consequence between Parramatta and St George," Kemp said.

"There were three tries that were fair and square and it (the game) shouldn't have been as close as it was."

To add insult to injury, Roosters five-eighth Brett Finch scored two minutes after Betham was chastised to give the hosts a 14-point buffer.

Livid captain Stacey Jones was cautioned for dissent by Mander as Craig Fitzgibbon lined up the conversion.

"Be very careful about what you say," Mander warned.

Rather than capitulate, the 12th-placed Warriors, who have six games remaining to make the top eight, were stung into positive action and constructed three dynamic tries to keep their finals dream afloat.

"We showed our character. I'm happy we showed a lot of composure at 22-8. It was just great to get a close one," said Kemp, who has endured eight losses by 10 or less points this season.

Jones admitted he had been frustrated by the rulings, but was pleased the team rallied.

"I think it made us a stronger team.

"The setbacks were there, but we bounced back and got more controlled aggressiveness. The big guys rolled up their sleeves and the little guys like Brent and Lance supported up the middle."

The Warriors got off to a perfect start in the sixth minute when prop Ruben Wiki barged over after three straight sets of possession but their joy was short-lived as some slick Roosters interplay -- and Abood -- conspired against them.

The Roosters hit back when Adam Schubert pounced on a Finch grubber and after uncompromising defence forced a turnover Auckland-born centre Iosio Soliola offloaded in the tackle of Jerome Ropati to give Amos Roberts a clear passage to his 10th try of the season.

The Warriors had to settle for a Jones penalty to narrow the halftime deficit to 8-12 after the Meli knock backs, and were soon further on the back foot when State of Origin player of the series Anthony Minichiello extended the lead to 16-8 in the 46th minute.

New Zealand Warriors 24

(Lance Hohaia 2, Ruben Wiki, Brent Webb tries; Stacey Jones 4 goals)

Sydney Roosters 22

(Adam Schubert, Amos Roberts, Anthony Minichiello, Brett Finch tries; Craig Fitzgibbon 3 goals)

Halftime

8-12.

- NZPA