ST GEORGE Illawarra kept their late finals charge alive with a come-from-behind 27-24 win over the Cowboys at WIN Jubilee Oval.

A weakened Cowboys side looked set for their first away win of the year when they led 20-14 midway through the second half before halves Benji Marshall and Gareth Widdop inspired a late Dragons resurgence.

The win gives the Dragons four wins in their last five games under caretaker coach Paul McGregor and keeps them well and truly in the finals race.

media_camera Antonio Winterstein crosses the line unopposed to score a try for the Cowboys.

Missing representative stars Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott and Brent Tate, the Cowboys were expected to be cannon fodder for the Dragons but put in a determined display.

Marshall confidence continues to rise and he showed some impressive touches while Widdop was all class.

The game began in fast and open style with three tries in the opening 15 minutes — all to wingers.

The Cowboys jumped to an early lead, with new centre Tautau Moga producing a Matt Gidley-style flick pass to put his winger Antonio Winterstein over in the corner.

media_camera Leeson Ah Mau is tackled by the Cowboys defence.

The Dragons quickly responded, levelling the scores at 4-all when Widdop put youngster Charly Runciman over with a fine long pass.

St George Illawarra produced a clever set move in the 15th minute that saw speedy fullback Adam Quinlan finding himself in space.

Quinlan flung the ball to Jason Nightingale, who beat Cowboys

fullback Matt Wright before diving over.

Quinlan scored himself in the 25th minute, swooping on a clever crossfield kick by Marshall that caught the Cowboys defence napping.

media_camera Tautau Moga runs the ball for the Cowboys.

The Dragons were cruising at 14-4 but Winterstein’s second try seconds before halftime made it a contest again.

Classy utility back Michael Morgan ran acrossfield before throwing a looping pass to Winterstein, who scored his 50th Cowboys try without a hand touching him.

Back-rower Ethan Lowe produced a booming sideline conversion to cut the Dragons’ lead to 14-10 at the break.

Moments after the resumption, the Cowboys jumped to a shock 16-14 lead after a barnstorming run by back-rower Tarig Sims.

media_camera Tariq Sims is stopped just short of the line.

The Newcastle-bound forward charged onto a short pass from five-eighth Robert Lui and brushed off a poor attempted tackle from Dragons back-rower Joel Thompson to score between the posts.

The Cowboys were in again in the 50th minute with a textbook backline move exposing the Dragons defence.

Quick hands from Lui and Wright resulted in winger Curtis Rona strolling over the tryline, extending the Cowboys’ lead to 20-14.

The Cowboys were breaking the Dragons’ defence with monotonous regularity and almost scored again in the 56th minute.

media_camera Jason Nightingale scores one of his three tries for the Dragons.

Morgan regained his own grubber kick but just bounced the ball as he attempted to ground it.

That appeared to spark the Dragons into action, with the home team scoring less than 90 seconds later.

Marshall and centre Peter Mata’utia combined for Nightingale to grab his second as the scores were locked at 20-all.

Nightingale broke the deadlock, crossing in the corner to complete his hat trick after quick hands by Marshall, Mata’utia and Quinlan.

Widdop landed a superb sideline conversion and then added a neat field goal to give the Dragons a seven-point break at 27-20.

media_camera Gerard Beale takes on the Cowboys defence.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 27 (J Nightingale 3 A Quinlan C Runciman tries G Widdop 3 goals G Widdop field goal) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 24 (A Winterstein 2 C Rona T Sims J Taumalolo tries E Lowe 2 goals) at WIN Jubilee Oval. Referee: Gavin Badger, Adam Devcich. Crowd: 12,082.