Both teams enjoyed double-figure leads during the see-sawing contest at the Kurri Sportsground before a late Kurri surge saw them come from 22-10 down to win by six.

There was a minute silence before the game for Jamie Mitchell and Phillip Grant, the two miners killed in the collapse at Paxton last Tuesday night.

Kurri coach Phil Williams said the Coalfields derby was a must-win game after their opening round loss to Western Suburbs last weekend and the Bulldogs got off to a flying start.

In front of a healthy home crowd, Lachlan Shipard scored in the corner after six ­minutes.

Ryan Heath made it 10-0 when he touched down in the opposite corner from a pin point cross field kick from fullback Neenan Simpson.

Kurri were the better team in the opening half hour but the visitors fought back and hit the front just before halftime.

Giant prop Peter Rata crossed twice in three minutes for the Pickers to give them a 12-10 lead at the break.

Maitland extended their lead to 22-10 with a pair of tries early in the second half.

Billy Towers scored under the posts after claiming a Chad Solman bomb before Bayden Mulholland crossed in the corner.

Kurri also lost Damien Walters, with the centre stretchered off early in the second half after suffering a horrific broken leg.

But Kurri refused to quit, with Cullen scoring twice to level the scores at 22-all.

There was late drama when Rata was sent to the sin bin leaving Maitland down to 12 players when he was the third man in to a scuffle after Maitland fullback Tyme Dow’nikau was hit in a high tackle. 

And it proved to be the difference as Cullen completed his hat-trick with two minutes left on the clock to win the game for the Bulldogs.