[Source: NRL]

A Shaun Johnson golden point field goal has seen the Warriors make it three on the trot, overcoming a gutsy Raiders comeback to win 21-20 in front of a packed home crowd on Friday night.

An incredible late surge from Ricky Stuart’s Raiders, with Elliot Whitehead and Jack WIghton tries saw the visitors go back-to-back in two minutes and put the game to extra time.

But the veteran halfback continued in career-best form and slotted a one pointer from 30 metres out, booking his side a spot in the top three of the competition ladder.

Johnson ices it! 🧊 #NRLWarriorsRaiders pic.twitter.com/0icoKBIyx6

— NRL (@NRL) July 21, 2023

While Johnson produced another playmaking masterclass, it was winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who stole the show in front of the Warriors faithful, with a tide turning try-saver and a four-pointer of his own.

An offside penalty from Jack Wighton gave the home side an early opportunity in Raiders’ territory and hooker Wayde Egan put Marata Niukore through the line with a deft pass from close range. The Warriors were ahead of the scoreboard, 6-0, three minutes in.

After the Raiders survived several Warriors opportunities, forward Hudson Young made the home side pay for a misfired Shaun Johnson pass, scooping up the loose ball and streaming 40m down the line to lock the scoreboard 6-6.

Moments after Warriors winger Watene-Zelezniak produced a try-saver on Seb Kris for the ages, the Warriors went the length of the field before Johnson found Charnz Nicoll-Klokstad who got one over his former team. Johnson missed the conversion but thanks to an earlier penalty goal, the home side headed to the sheds with a 14-6 at half-time.

The Warriors extended their lead eight minutes into the second-half with Johnson igniting a slick right-side-raid which saw Watene-Zelezniak putting one down in the corner and the home side were out to a 12-point lead.

But in typical Raiders fashion, the Green Machine wrestled back momentum in the second-half and orchestrated three late tries to ensure a grandstand finish in Auckland.

It was Jordan Rapana who crossed in the 63rd minute when a pinpoint Jamal Fogarty kick sat up perfectly for the winger to score in the right corner and reduce the deficit to 10 for the visitors.

But with two minutes to go, it was Elliot Whitehead and Jack Wighton who crossed back-to-back to take the game to golden point.