Bunnies stun hapless Cowboys

A calmly potted field goal in the 80th minute by half-back Chris Sandow has enabled the Rabbitohs to emerge with a remarkable come-from-behind 29-28 victory over a gallant North Queensland Cowboys at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.

In what equaled the second-biggest comeback in the history of the game, the Rabbitohs appeared down for the count just after the break as the Cowboys raced in three tries in a six-minute period to turn their eight-point half-time lead into what appeared to be an unassailable 28-4 advantage.

But the Rabbitohs, searching for a rare hat-trick of wins, mirrored the Cowboys' try-scoring exploits with a three-try blitz of their own in the 52nd, 55th and 60th minutes to get within six points of the lead.

A converted try to rookie full-back Luke Capewell six minutes from the end leveled the scores at 28-all before Sandow kicked off a frantic final minute when he slotted the 15m match-winning field goal.

The drama continued with Souths spilling the ball from the kick-off then giving away a differential penalty from the ensuing scrum, allowing the Cowboys a chance to take the game into extra time with a possible field goal from the penalty tap.

Unfortunately for the locals, half-back Anthony Watts had his field goal attempt charged down, leaving the last-placed and severely undermanned Cowboys to lament their ninth successive loss.

There was further pain for the Cowboys with Test forward Carl Webb leaving the field in the first-half with a suspected broken ankle.

The Rabbitohs have now won three games on the trot and are four points clear of the cellar-dweller Cowboys on the ladder.

The Cowboys, minus skipper Johnathan Thurston and a host of others, raced out of the blocks with tries to prop Ray Cashmere in the seventh minute and winger John Williams three minutes later. Williams converted both tries to give his side a 12-0 lead.

Souths were struggling in all aspects of this game until skipper Roy Asotasi scored a memorable front-rowers' try on the half hour. Dynamic Rabbitohs hooker Issac Luke burst out of dummy-half his side of halfway then slipped a neat ball to Asotasi who proceeded to dummy, step and fend his way over for a stunning four-pointer. Unfortunately Luke couldn't convert, leaving Souths behind 4-12 - the eventual half-time score.

Just after the break, Cowboys five-eighth Sione Faumuina held four Souths' defenders at bay on the line to flop a pass back for centre Ash Graham to score the simplest of tries.

When centre Ben Harris crossed in the left corner just three minutes later, the Cowboys were sailing towards victory at 22-4 in front.

The try of the match, and possibly the season, occurred in the 47th minute when Watts regained his own chip kick then in the next motion kicked perfectly for Graham who caught the ball on the full for a superb four-pointer under the posts. Williams converted to make it 28-4.

But any thoughts of a runaway Cowboys' victory were quickly extinguished as Souths went on a scoring blitz of their own, posting three tries in an eight-minute period to trail by only six points.

Winger Fetuli Talanoa crossed wide out in the 52nd minute, five-eighth Craig Wing in the 55th minute and centre Beau Champion cut back inside the defence to score five minutes later. Luke converted all three tries from sharp angles.

The Rabbitohs