THE Warriors delivered the win that the script demanded for Ruben Wiki's 301st NRL game, but once again they did it the hard way.

Against a Cowboys side that had not won for nine games and started the game as if they were not too bothered about when or if they won again, the Warriors managed to keep them in the game right up to the closing minutes.

Cowboys halfback Jonathan Thurston threatened to upstage Wiki's big night all on his own, but the Warriors were good value for their 10-point win in the end, outscoring the Cowboys five tries to three.

Cowboys coach Ian Millward thought his side was better than the result indicated.

"Their effort was outstanding," he said. "I thought their attitude was great. It is a good sign of a team when they don't go away."

In a sloppy opening period, Warriors centre Sonny Fai butchered a certain try in the sixth minute when he knocked on with a two-on-one overlap outside him, but both sides struggled to exert serious pressure.

Brent Tate brought some much-needed urgency to the proceedings with a scintillating burst up the middle to bring the Warriors to within 30 metres of the try line.

As the Cowboys desperately struggled to get back into position, the Warriors spun the ball wide for Fai, who forced his way over in the corner for the opening try after 15 minutes to give the Warriors a 4-0 lead.

After that the game settled back into a familiar pattern of errors from both sides until the Warriors struck again 14 minutes from the half-time break to make it 8-0.

The Cowboys scored 35 seconds from the break to make it 8-4 and went ahead early in the second half 10-8.

It was then the Warriors' turn to hit back and at 18-10 they looked like good things.

But Thurston again dragged his side back into the match when he set up a try for Ashley Graham to make it 18-14 with 20 minutes left to play.

But Micheal Luck had the last say for the home side when he scored the match-sealer seven minutes from full-time.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary was happy with his team's performance.

"I thought we were going to win it most of the game, to be honest," he said. "I thought we controlled things pretty well."

NZ WARRIORS 24 (S Fai A Kirk M Luck S Mannering J Ropati tries L Hohaia 2 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 14 (J Williams 2 A Graham tries J Thurston goal) at Mt Smart Stadium. Referee: S Hampstead. Crowd:  7,722.