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Warriors sensation Kevin Locke put the icing on a tough 13-0
victory over the Newcastle Knights in the round 14 NRL clash in
Auckland on Friday night.
With just 10 seconds to go, the winger scored a runaway try to seal
a hard-fought win in the rain.
He then kicked the extras to put the final nail in Newcastle's
coffin.
The two-try-to-none victory was desperately needed by the Kiwi
side, who were placed 12th and painfully close to waving their
finals chances goodbye.
The Knights, meanwhile, appeared to have few clues on attack and
spent most of the match defending their line in cold, rain-soaked
conditions in front of 14,255 diehard Kiwi fans at Mt Smart
Stadium.
They clearly missed their injured star skipper, Kurt Gidley, and
got bad news early on with the loss of winger James McManus with a
possibly season-ending Achilles tear.
But despite the overwhelming amount of Warriors possession, the
home side could only cross the Knights' line twice.
Makeshift five-eighth Lance Hohaia burrowed over for the first try
after just five minutes.
Locke, 20, converted for the Warriors to go into the break six
points up.
The second half started with balanced 30-minute arm wrestle, both
sides battling it out unsuccessfully to lay the ball
down.
In the 71st minute the Warriors set up close to the Newcastle
line, allowing Hohaia to kick a field goal, but it was Locke who
stole the show with his last minute dash over the line.
Veteran Warriors halfback Stacey Jones used his 250th NRL appearance to play arguably his best kicking game of the season to date, answering critics who questioned the 32-year-old's return from retirement.
Warriors skipper Steve Price praised his team's effort in
defence and the quick start to get points on the board.
"We really showed them what we were going to do from the start
which we probably haven't done for a while," Price said.
Coach Ivan Cleary was equally pleased with the finish: "To be
honest we probably didn't give them a look in the last 20 minutes
which is really pleasing".
He said Hohaia competed really hard at five-eighth but saved his
biggest praise for the young up-and-comer, Locke.
"He's got something, hasn't he," Cleary said.
"I can't rap him enough really. He's got a big a future in front of
him."
Newcastle coach Brian Smith agreed, saying he was impressed by the
winger's fast, lucid play.
He also handed congratulations to Jones for his game milestone,
saying he was one of the greatest league players of all time and a
great little guy too.
The little general suffered a minor groin injury during play.
Smith said it was a tough game for his side.
The odds were stacked against them with Gidley missing, the
slushy conditions and the Warriors fighting back after a heavy loss
to Cronulla last Sunday.
But all up the Knights fought courageously to the end, he
said.
"I don't think we would have lost any fans tonight," Smith
said.
He said McManus's injury "wasn't looking good" and will force him
to sit out several games at least.
