[Source: NRL]

Storm winger Xavier Coates came up with another spectacular match-winning try as Melbourne downed the Roosters 18-12 at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night.

With the scores locked 12-12 and six minutes remaining, Coates picked up a rolling ball and showed enormous strength to power through three defenders and slam the ball down to hand the Storm a ninth win in their past 10 clashes with the Roosters.

Coming on the back of his wonder try against the Warriors in Round 2 and an acrobatic four-pointer in the win over the Broncos, it adds another epic moment to the winger’s impressive highlight reel.

The Storm struck the first blow in the 13th minute when Will Warbrick tapped a bomb back to Eli Katoa who found Jahrome Hughes and the halfback scooted away to post his second try of the season. Nick Meaney’s conversion made it 6-0.

It took the Roosters just five minutes to find an answer also through a kick with Daniel Tupou out-jumping Warbrick to knock the ball back for Michael Jennings to score after Meaney failed to clean up. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s conversion tied it up at 6-6.

The teams then traded mistakes through Katoa and James Tedesco as the defensive intensity ramped up and the error count had hit eight after 25 minutes of the contest.

Some strong goal line defence by Nat Butcher denied Katoa in the 27th minute and the Roosters came away but a dangerous tackle penalty against Brandon Smith allowed the Storm out of their own end.

Come the 31st minute and a pinpoint high kick by Cameron Munster was taken by Katoa who managed to hold off three defenders to get the ball down as the Storm took a 12-6 advantage.

The Roosters pushed hard in the closing minutes of the half with Naufahu Whyte going close but the Storm defence held firm and they took a six-point lead to the sheds.

The mistakes continued early in the second with Terrell May coming up with a loose carry for the Roosters and Joe Chan putting it down in the play the ball before an uncharacteristic error by Tedesco cut another attacking move short for the home side.

With 25 minutes to play the Storm were reduced to 12 men when Munster was sent to the bin for a professional foul on Tedesco and the Roosters almost made them pay immediately when Joey Manu found space and offloaded to Victor Radley who crossed but the pass was ruled forward.

The Storm were able to survive the 10 minutes with Munster off the field but in the 68th minute the Roosters grabbed their second when Luke Keary kicked high and Suaalii tapped it back to Manu who crossed in the corner. Suaalii then nailed the conversion from the sideline to tie it up at 12-12.

With six minutes to play the Storm took the lead when Manu spilled a high kick and the ball fell to Shawn Blore who passed to Harry Grant who put in a grubber which Coates collected and powered through Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to score and the visitors led 18-12.

From there the Storm were able to grip on for their fourth win of the season to sit second on the ladder.