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Highlights: Dragons return to top eight with win over weakened Cowboys

Jason Nightingale appears unlikely to get a farewell game at Jubilee. (Photo: AAP)
Roar Guru
28th May, 2016
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The St George Illawarra Dragons have run out winners at WIN Stadium tonight against a depleted, but gutsy North Queensland Cowboys team.

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The Dragons led 10-4 at half-time. Their backs looked slick early in the first half, with fullback Jason Nightingale and winger Kurt Mann both crossing for tries in the first fifteen minutes.

The Cowboys fought back to score an important try just before halftime. Winger Kyle Feldt leapt high in the air to take a last tackle Lachlan Coote kick and plant the ball down.

He had a strong match tonight, confident under the high ball in both attack and defence, unlike last week’s match against the Broncos.

St George generally looked more dangerous in attack in the first half, but the Cowboys’ defence was determined.

The second half was almost a reverse, with the Cowboys attack looking the stronger. Jason Taumololo made a number of strong runs to keep the St George defence on the back foot, and the Cowboys’ kicking game through Lachlan Coote and Ray Thompson earned them a number of repeat sets.

Seven minutes after half-time, the Cowboys’ 21-year-old five eighth Jahrome Hughes scored a great individual try to level the scores.

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Hughes was playing just his second NRL match, filling in for Michael Morgan who is in camp with the Queensland team ahead of next Wednesday night’s first State of Origin match.

The game turned into a field position arm wrestle in the last twenty minutes. Referee Grant Atkins used his whistle constantly, blowing 19 penalties in total for the match. The final count favoured the Cowboys 11-8.

Dragons’ centre Euan Aitken crossed with 18 minutes to go to put St George back in front. Their defence then held solid for the rest of the match, despite the Cowboys throwing everything at them.

Final score
Dragons 14
Cowboys 10

Try scorers (St George): Jason Nightingale, Kurt Mann, Euan Aitken
Top metres gained (St George): Kalifa Faifai Loa (155), Jason Nightingale (150)
Top tacklers (St George): Mitch Rein (56), Joel Thompson (44)
Try scorers (Cowboys): Kyle Feldt, Jahrome Hughes
Top metres gained (Cowboys): Jason Taumololo (209), Antonio Winterstein (154)
Top tacklers (Cowboys): Jake Granville (54), Ben Hannant (39)

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