The Sydney Roosters U20s have unfortunately recorded their second loss of the 2015 Holden Cup season following a last-minute loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium this afternoon.
It was the home side that flew out of the blocks with an early four-pointer seeing them lead 6-0 after just a matter of minutes at ANZ Stadium.
However the Roosters didn't lay down for long as the ball was sent wide to the right for Joseph Manu to score and allow for Jackson Hastings to convert and level it up at 6-all after jsut ten minutes.
The visitors managed to take the lead for the first time when they scored not long after their opener, again through Manu down the right flank, after yet another wide play to the right edge.
The Bunnies peppered the Roosters line for much of the remaining minutes in the first half and were rewarded for their persistence just minutes before the half time break as hooker Aaron Booth dummied and ducked his way over.
That was where it stayed in the opening chapter with the sides heading into the sheds locked up at 12-all.
It wasn't long before Manu had crossed once again, this time registering his first hat-trick in the NYC, as the ball was shifted to the right edge following earlier success in the match. Hastings was unable to convert keeping the visitors lead at just four points, 16-12.
It was end-to-footy for close to half an hour before the scoreboard attendant was called upon as the Rabbitohs big men saw them in an attacking position at the end of their set for them to go left and cross through replacement Liam Coleman. Hedges was again successful with the boot to take back the lead 18-16.
With momentum for the home side beginning to build and the crowd well and truly in their corner it was the Tricolours Captain Paul Momirovski who made the breakthrough.
As the ball went wide to the Roosters left-edge the Skipper burst through the Bunnies line to race 30m and dot down under the sticks for an easy conversion for himself to add and take back the lead at 22-18 with just over five minutes remaining.
Late pressure from the home side forced the Junior Chooks into a defensive scramble in the dying minutes, but they eventually cracked as Souths halfback Hedges pounced onto a bouncing ball in-goal to score and convert his own try in the 79th minute of play.
The siren sounded following the conversion seeing the Rabbitohs take the two competition points with a 24-22 victory.
