Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore labelled the decision to deny Jamal Idris a match-winning try one of the worst he'd seen as St George Illawarra held on for an epic 20-18 NRL derby victory at WIN Jubilee Stadium on Friday night.

Bottles, including a glass one which just missed Wendell Sailor, rained upon the playing surface after video referee Steven Clark denied Idris a try with 33 seconds remaining that would have sealed a stunning comeback win for the ladder leaders.

Clark pulled up the four-pointer for an innocuous obstruction play in the lead up with Greg Eastwood ruled to have blocked Jamie Soward for making a tackle on fullback Luke Patten.

But Moore was having none of it.

"I think it's one of the worst I've ever seen, full stop," Moore said.

"Imagine if that was a grand final.

"It was a definite try - that happens every kick return in the game ... (Eastwood) stood his ground.

"What was he supposed to do, dig a hole?

"Jamie Soward conned the video referee, he backed into Greg Eastwood, he made no attempt to go towards Luke Patten to make a tackle.

"He made a bigger attempt to get to the referee at the end of the field to complain. I feel my players have been really hard done by tonight ... they could have and should have won that game."

Soward denied he had taken a dive.

"I'm not like that. I'm pretty disappointed that the coach has viewed that I take a dive," he said.

"All my teammates know I'm not like that. I tried to tackle him."

The furious response from the Bulldogs section of the sell-out crowd brought an end to what had been a dramatic comeback from the Bulldogs.

Idris - who had a powerful game - scored nine minutes from time to close the gap to just two points after the Bulldogs had been reduced to 12 men earlier in the half when Brett Kimmorley was sin binned for a professional foul.

The match had looked over when Justin Poore brushed past a poor Michael Ennis tackle on a stunning 25 metre run to the line with 13 minutes remaining.

The Bulldogs had been lucky to be down just 14-6 after an opening 40 minutes in which the home side dominated possession and field position.

After an early arm wrestle the Dragons were first to score as Michael Weyman went over with a short-range barge to make it 6-0 after 20 minutes.

A Soward penalty extended their advantage but it wasn't until Ben Hornby found a galloping Ben Creagh - who almost ran all the way to Wollongong before touching down just inside the dead ball line - that the lead was indicative of the flow of the game.

But the Bulldogs ensured it was game-on for the final 40 minutes.

The visitors enjoyed six of the last seven sets of the half before Kimmorley dummied past Mickey Paea on his way to the line to make it a more respectable eight-point deficit at the break.

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