Three tries to Canberra fullback Reece Robinson has sealed a 22-18 NRL win for the Raiders against the Dragons

THE dreaded Canberra curse started for the Dragons three hours before kick-off when a bus carrying the Dragons Army broke down.

Raiders

THE dreaded Canberra curse started for the Dragons three hours before kick-off yesterday when a bus carrying the Dragons Army broke down on the side of the freeway in Goulburn.

It was a shame the fans still made it to the nation's capital midway through the second half to witness the Dragons crash to a heart-breaking loss in the dying stages.

The last time the Dragons won in Canberra was the year 2000, when Marie-Jose Perec chickened out of her 400m race with Cathy Freeman at the Sydney Olympics, Gladiator won the Oscar for best picture, and the carbon tax was not even a twinkle in the eye of then-Labor MP Julia Gillard.

Match Centre: All the scores and stats and vote for your Man of the Match

But three tries from Raiders fullback Reece Robinson made sure one of league's longest-running hoodoos continued.

Young Dragons hooker Mitch Rein, who was still in primary school when the Dragons saluted in Canberra, looked to have pinched victory with two second-half tries that put his side ahead.

But Robinson sealed the deal when he strolled over with three minutes left to spark wild celebrations among the 10,462 who braved the freezing conditions.

The loss leaves the Dragons four points adrift of the top eight with two months remaining.

Picture Gallery: Raiders v Dragons

The Raiders scored first through winger Edrick Lee, who crashed over in the left-hand corner as the home side enjoyed three consecutive sets.

Both teams played it safe but struggled for field position before a Dragons penalty for a late tackle on Jason Nightingale gifted the visitors a fresh set on the halfway line.

And it was former Raiders winger Bronx Goodwin who scored for the Dragons after the visitors showed good hands to spread the ball right to left. Jamie Soward slotted the conversion from the sideline to level the scores.Just when the Dragons looked to be getting on top, Canberra hit back with a try to Robinson in the 35th minute.

Jarrod Croker stripped the ball from Daniel Vidot in a great one-on-one tackle to put the Raiders on the attack.

Matt Cooper produced a try-saving tackle on a flying Josh Papalii - and Nightingale was unlucky to have been ruled to knock a ball over the dead-ball line for a drop-out - but it was inevitable the Raiders would score.

Canberra then went further ahead when Joel Thompson hit a gap and send Robinson racing 50m for his second in as many minutes.

Dragons players complained that Nightingale and Vidot, who were in hot pursuit, were impeded by Lee towards the end of their chase. But the complaints fell on deaf ears and the Raiders went to the break with a handy 16-6 lead.

Sandor Earl, who only joined the club from Penrith on Thursday, was rushed straight into the starting side at the expense of winger Dimitri Pelo.

The Dragons needed to score first after the break, and they did when Rein threw a huge dummy and ducked under a tackle of Tom Learoyd-Lahrs to score.

Soward produced a 40/20 kick to put the Dragons on the attack, and just when they looked to have bombed their chance of more points, Rein snuck over.

The Dragons continued to pile on the pressure, only for Cooper to be crunched in a tackle by Earl.

Then a Nightingale grubber dribbled over the dead-ball line.

They were finally rewarded when Rein crashed over from dummy-half under the posts to give the Dragons the lead in the 68th minute and set up a thrilling finish.

CANBERRA RAIDERS 22 (R Robinson 3, E Lee tries; J Croker 3 goals) bt ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 18 (M Rein 2, B Goodwin tries; J Soward 3 goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Jared Maxwell, Adam Devcich. Crowd:  10,462.