Johnson is Warriors’ golden gun
The No 7 stood up when it mattered most, reports David Long.
Shaun Johnson ended the Warriors’ golden-point woes to defeat the Panthers 20-16 at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night.
Having lost three of their last four games in golden-point time, remarkably they found themselves in the same position again after the Panthers made a spirited second-half comeback.
However, there were to be no tears from the Warriors this time as, after blowing a couple of earlier opportunities, Johnson ran in to score in the 89th minute.
As they won by four points they just move ahead of the Panthers on the ladder and into the top eight, but this victory was crucial as they approach the last five games of the season.
This was the game where the Warriors players needed to stand up and be counted, and there was a real determination from the players to bag the two points.
This game was tight throughout. Having failed to capitalise on an earlier penalty deep into Warriors territory, the Panthers chose to go for a shot at goal when in a similar position in the 12th minute, with Nathan Cleary putting his side up 2-0.
But the Panthers were only in front for a short time as in the 17th minute Thomas Leuluai put up a probing high kick, which David Fusitu’a took, then grounded the ball to score.
Eleven minutes before the break Mansour thought he’d scored for the Panthers, but the pass he took from Tyrone Peachey was forward.
The Warriors came desperately close to scoring a couple of tries late in the half but couldn’t get over the line. However, they were eventually rewarded for their pressure when winger Ken Maumalo took the ball in space on the right edge and with one quick sprint was in for the try.
Having missed a conversion out in front earlier, Issac Luke nailed a much tougher kick after Maumalo’s try to make the score 10-2 at the break.
Three minutes into the second half the Panthers got their opening try. They exploited an injuredlooking Luke in the Warriors’ defence, then moved the ball wide for Peachey to score.
The Warriors were in next, with a try from Fusitu’a, thanks to a ball moved quickly to the right edge.
Then in the 61st minute the Warriors extended their lead from an Luke penalty, but the Panthers got themselves straight back in the contest with a breakaway from from Mansour
With five minutes to go and down 16-12, the Panthers’ Peter Wallace kicked a 40/20 and the result was Mansour’s second try of the night. Nathan Cleary missed the conversion and soon after the Warriors entered golden-point time for the fifth time this season.
Three minutes into it, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak dropped the ball on the Panthers’ 40m line, giving the Warriors great field position. The ball was worked close to the Panthers’ line but then lost before Johnson could attempt a field goal.
In the second half the Warriors went deep into the Panthers’ territory again but Johnson dropped the ball in a run, then soon after his kick was charged down by Wallace.
Then he had the ball in his hands again a minute later and it was fourth time a charm.
He realised he wouldn’t be able to get the kick away and produced one of his stunning runs to get a try.
(David Fusitu’a 2, Ken Maumalo, Tuimoala Lolohea, Shaun Johnson tries; Issac Luke 2 goals). (Tyrone Peachey, Josh Mansour 2 tries; Nathan Cleary 2 goals). HT: 10-2