Mum shares in thrill as Reynolds farewells Belmore home Bulldogs steal win

MORE than an hour after fulltime last night, Josh Reynolds was still shaking his head. Still in awe of one of the most magical afternoons of his life.

The little boy who grew up a couple of hundred metres from the Belmore gates was celebrating his final home game at the Bulldogs’ spiritual home.

And what a celebration it turned out to be. For Reynolds, and the “wonder woman” who made it possible. His mum Nicole. “When I ran out and saw her on the sideline and you could tell she’d been sooking,” Reynolds said of the start of the match when his mum greeted him for a pregame hug amid the emotion.

But who could have imag- ined how play out. The drama. The disbelief. The excitement. From 18- 8 down with five minutes to go, the Bulldogs produced one of the most amazing comebacks seen in years to save their season.

After leading 8- 0 early and then 8- 6 at halftime, they let the Knights back into the game with back- to- back tries to trail 18- 8 with the game in the final five minutes.

But then came a late try in the corner to Marcelo Montoya off a Will Hopoate pass.

Kerrod Holland nailed the this game would sideline conversion to make it 18- 14.

But they still needed something. Up stepped Moses Mbye.

Chasing a Brock Lamb kick intended for the sideline to shut down the game, Mbye seized the moment, running the best part of 80m for the try to level the scores.

It gave Holland the chance to put the Dogs back in front and he didn’t miss.

But even after that Reynolds almost went from hero to villain in the final seconds when he gave up a penalty that gave the Knights a chance to send the match into golden point.

But incredibly Trent Hodkinson, who had taken the conversions throughout the game, gave up the kick from 30m out to Brock Lamb. The youngster missed it. For the Bulldogs, the win gives their finals hopes the smallest of possibilities.

Now on 16 competition points, the Bulldogs have the bye next weekend but can only afford to drop one more game if they are to make it into the top eight.

But yesterday, it was all about the celebration for the local boy who made good on a dream. And the mum who made it possible.

AMAZING VICTORY: Josh Reynolds addresses the crowd after Cantebury scored an unlikely win over the Knights in his last game at the ground as a Bulldogs player.