Blacktown Workers continued their charge towards the NSW Cup finals with an impressive 36-20 win over St George-Illawarra Dragons on Saturday.
The Sea Eagles ran in seven tries to four in the round 22 match at Shellharbour with full-back Jake Toby and winger Ryan Garner getting a double each. Cooper Johns kicked four from seven goals.
With the top five teams contesting the finals, Blacktown Workers sit in sixth place on 26 points, equal with the fifth-placed Penrith Panthers with just 11 points separating the teams on for and against.
Blacktown Workers play the Sydney Roosters (13th), Penrith, Warriors (second) and the Bulldogs (third) in their remaining matches.
Some slick hands in a nice backline play saw winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega open the scoring in the fourth minute. Five-eighth Cooper Johns converted from the sideline for a 6-0 lead.
Half Jakob Arthur and five-eighth Cooper Johns then produced a long, floating cut out pass across the field to send winger Ryan Garner over in the 13th minute for a 12-0 lead.
A spilt bomb led to the Dragons scoring a converted try to winger Sione Finai for a 12-6 scoreline after 19 minutes.
The Dragons then scored two tries in four minutes through Ryan Couchman and Treigh Stewart to trail 12-10 after 27 minutes.
Stewart then gave the Dragons a 14-12 lead after crossing for his second try in the 31st minute.
NSW Cup Highlights Dragons v Sea Eagles - Round 22
However, Blacktown Workers regained the lead five minutes later through another try to prolific try scorer Clayton Faulalo to give the Sea Eagles a 16-14 lead at half-time. A great pass from Arthur put second-rower Samuela Fainu into a hole to send Faulalo over.
Garner extended Blacktown’s lead when he crossed for his second try in the 50th minute after a high cut out pass from Johns, who added the extras for a handy 22-14 lead.
The Dragons hit back again when Stewart crossed for his hat-trick to leave the home side trailing 22-20 with 13 minutes remaining.
Blacktown Workers secured victory when Toby crossed for two tries in three minutes.
His first saw him stroll to the line off a break from Vaega that found Faulalo in support to send his full-back away to score under the posts. The second saw Toby swoop on a loose pass to cross in the corner.
Centre Brad Abbey put the icing on the cake with a try in the final minute after a great run and offload from Karl Lawton for the 36-20 win.
Blacktown Workers play the Roosters at Wentworth Park on Sunday, August 6, at 2pm.
