A LATE Aaron Penberthy drop-goal ended Warriors’ 24-game winning run as Jersey edged a thriller on a chilly afternoon at St Peter.

Warriors led 14-11 at the interval with a Sam Smith try and three Andy Symons penalties.

In the second-half Symons converted Sam Betty’s try in response to a Penberthy penalty but a Ryan Hodson try converted again by Penberthy brought the Islanders to within one.

With just a few minutes remaining, the full-back held his nerve to deliver a sensational long-range drop-goal.

Warriors had one last throw of the dice with a Symons penalty but he dragged his shot wide as the hosts celebrated a memorable win.

Jersey applied the early pressure winning a penalty from the scrum and kicked to the corner.

Warriors failed to get out of their half for the opening 15 minutes as the hosts lumped on the pressure but when finally reaching their opponents’ territory, they looked threatening.

After a break from Smith and some good work by the pack, Warriors won a penalty allowing Symons to open the scoring from the tee.

But an immediate reply saw Fautua Otto dink the ball over the Warriors backline before collecting and diving over the chalk.

Penberthy converted, but from the kick-off, Jersey failed to collect and Smith helped himself by clutching the ball and running to the tryline.

Warriors began to up the tempo as they probed for a second score but almost got caught out with an interception from Mark Foster but the wing knocked forward.

The subsequent scrum saw the visitors win a penalty and Symons punted over the posts.

Jersey didn’t lie down and with Warriors deep in their 22, Joseph Buckle charged down Mills who pounced on the ball to relieve the danger.

Warriors then looked to play from deep but were penalised for holding on at the breakdown, allowing Penberthy to cut arrears to just one.

End-to-end stuff ensued as Warriors piled into Jersey territory and the scrum did its job to give Symons a shot at goal from which he duly obliged with the last kick of the half.

Warriors looked to come out of the blocks firing but were pinged for holding on and full-back Penberthy bagged another three points.

Warriors upped the ante with phase after phase and Charlie Mulchrone’s quick restarts put Jersey under immense pressure.

That soon won Warriors a penalty but Symons uncharacteristically missed the target with the kick.

A swift move from right to left then saw Chris Pennell brought down agonisingly short but Warriors’ drive soon prevailed with Betty dotting down.

Symons couldn’t add the extras but from the restart Mulchrone skipped and sidestepped his way through making 40 metres as Warriors looked likely to extend their advantage.

Dean Ryan’s men almost found the line again as Betty found space down the left from a line-out and then successive dummies from Mills created a gap in the Jersey defence but skipper GJ van Velze knocked the pass forward.

They were soon punished when Hodson touched down from a driving line-out.

Penberthy added the extras to set up another nerve-jangling finish with just one point in it.

Jonny Bentley then broke through to set the home crowd roaring but he was eventually ripped down as Warriors defended stoutly.

But the visitors were shell-shocked by the Islanders as Penberthy landed a long-range drop-goal with five minutes to go.

With two minutes left, Warriors won a penalty but Symons dragged his effort wide to the delight of the home support.