Wests Tigers down Thunderbolts for fifth straight win

Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg have extended their winning streak to five in a row with a dominant 28-8 victory over the Victoria Thunderbolts today at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

Needing to keep winning to keep their finals hopes alive, Wests Tigers started quickly against the visitors to lead comfortably at the break before keeping the Thunderbolts at bay throughout the second half to ensure the win.

The result leaves Wests Tigers in ninth position and level on points with the eighth-placed Dragons — needing to better the result of either them or the seventh-placed Penrith Panthers in their final game of the regular season next Saturday.

Wests Tigers will face off against the New Zealand Warriors in their final regular season game on Saturday, August 31 at Mount Smart Stadium.

It was a bright start from Wests Tigers who ran in two tries in the opening 15 minutes to lead 12-0 before Ben Stevanovic was taken from the field and then to hospital following an awkward collision that saw the halfback knocked out.

That caused a disruption to the hosts' control of the game, and two quick tries to Uala Salia and Matt Stimson just before the break saw the Thunderbolts cut the margin to just four points as the two sides hit the half-time sheds.

However, with time to settle, it was Wests Tigers who resumed normal service in the second half as they continued to dominate proceedings with Curtis Wilson and Rua Ngati both bagging dummy half tries to put the result beyond doubt.

Ngati would add another clever effort from close range with time expiring to put an exclamation mark on the win — giving Coach Wayne Lambkin a fifth straight win for the first time this season and every hope of still playing finals football.

Wests Tigers 28 (Ngati 2, Main, Dillon, Wilson tries; Stevanovic 2/2, Wheelhouse 2/3 goals) def. Victoria Thunderbolts 8 (Salia, Stimson tries; Stimson 0/2 goals) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium