Trent Barrett was man of the match and in a close tussle, he was the difference between the the two teams. With less than 10 minutes to go, Willie Peters popped a field goal and this gave Saints a 7 point buffer but the Bulldogs scored shortly after and this set up a grandstand finish. In the end, Saints won a tough encounter with both sides handing out punishment. For Saints, Jason Hooper has been placed on report for a head high high tackle

An injury concern hangs over Amos Roberts who had to leave the field in the 60th minute. Nathan Blacklock scored his 26th try of the year equalling the St George record set by Tommy Ryan in 1957 but the turning point of the match happened in in the 66th minute when Trent Barrett ran at the line on the last tackle and delivered a tremendous pass to Matt Cooper who scored his 2nd try of the night.

MATCH REPORT (BY THE CLOCK):
13 min: C'bury player O'Reardon crosses but no try as ball goes loose.
17 min: Penalty goal El Masri. Follows sustained pressure from C'bury. Barrett penalised for trying to slow down play the ball on Anasta. C'bury 2-0
18 min: Time in opposition's half: C'bury 70%, Saints 30%
21 min: Try Cooper. Barrett running on last tackle, combines with Roberts and McGregor. Conversion from out wide by Riddell. Great kick. Saints 6-2
24 min: Try Roberts. 30m from Saints line, Riddell busts through on 2nd ruck from kickoff. Roberts backing up on inside races away to score under posts. Conversion Riddell. Saints 12-2
25 min: 40/20 kick from Barrett, Saints get feed.
28 min: Anasta break. Saints defend their tryline desperately in top corner of field. Eventually ball goes into touch.
29 min: Vagana intercept. Saints under pressure.
30 min: Anasta kick defused by Roberts.
31 min: Hooper high tackle on El Masri. Hooper on report.
35 min: Try El Masri. Vid ref called after El Masri chased in goal kick Looked offside but slo mo shows that it's a good set play. Conversion El Masri. Saints 12-8
37 min: Try Anasta. Scored under posts following Trindall kick. Poor Saints defence down right hand side. Conversion El Masri. Lead changes. C'bury 14-12
HALF TIME
42 min: Trindall head high on Fitzgerald (but not put on report). Saints take tap but are tackled into touch on 1st tackle. Errors happening from both sides.
50 min: Try Blacklock. Barrett -> McGregor -> Blacklock. Blacklock slips in the in-goal and it goes to vid ref to see if he touched the dead ball line but he's in by a country mile. Conversion from sideline. Another great kick from Riddell who throws arm into in celebration. Lead changes for a 4th time. Saints 18-14
52 min: Fitzgerald late tackle on Anasta, no penalty.
56 min: Penalty goal El Masri. Saints penalised for stripping. Looking close to being sin binned. Saints 18-16
60-63 min: Sherwin 40/20. Both teams have gone up another level. Roberts leaves the field injured and won't return. Saints under pressure. Big hits happening from both teams as match intensifies.
Blacklock, now at fullback, pulls off a great pick up to relieve the pressure.
66 min: Try Cooper. Brilliant pass from Barrett running on last. One handed whilst in mid air. Conversion attempt out wide from Bartrim misses. It's not over yet but this is the turning point. Saints 22-16
68 min: High tackle on Bailey. Talau on report.
71 min: Field goal Peters. Saints 23-16
75 min: Try G. Hughes. After getting ball back from kick off. Conversion El Masri. Saints 23-22
80 min: In the final seconds, C'bury launch a final attacking wave and Sherwin sets to shoot for field goal. Treacy comes up out of the line and stops the attempt. Sherwin steps and then sends a pass out wide to Hughes where there appears to be an overlap. Hooper jars Hughes with a heavy tackle and the final pass doesn't find it's mark. El Masri tries to pick up rolling ball but is thwarted by Peters' in cover. By now, more troops are on hand and Gasnier picks up loose ball and runs some 35m and looks a chance to go all the way before being ankle tapped. Full time siren and we're breathless.
FULL TIME: Saints 23 - C'bury 22

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For full list of all the year's sound files - click here

Barrett running on the last	Amos Roberts and Barrett is backing up
Matt Cooper takes the final pass and strolls over to score out wide	Matt Cooper
Mark Riddell	Riddell lands this from wide
Watching the Amos Roberts try	Lance tests out the knee
Mark Riddell powers through	meeting the 2nd line of defence & knocking them over
Riddell into open space
Riddell finds Roberts supporting inside	Amos Roberts
on the way to the tryline	post try celebration
Saints defence close to the tryline. This ball went into touch.	Jason Ryles
Paul McGregor and driving defence.	Andrew Hart hits up.
Nathan Blacklock try time.	Mark Riddell conversion from out wide.
Jamie Fitzgerald taking out Anasta after the C'bury 5/8 gets a kick away.	Down goes Anasta. The whole incident missed by the ref & touchies.
Nathan Brown	Jamie Fitzgerald and blood.
Barrett getting away a brilliant pass.
	Matt Cooper leaps high to take the pass.
	Cooper after scoring.
Willie Peters field goal leaves the boot...	Peters right on target.
Luke Bailey cops a high one from an unrepentant Willie Talau.	Willie Peters, 1 point hero.