Match Report: Sea Eagles close it out in the wet
Manly have kept their top-four hopes alive with a gritty 24-10 win over the Warriors at a wet 4 Pines Park.
A storm moved through Sydney on Friday afternoon, with heavy rain, thunder and lightning arriving on the Northern Beaches early in the second half. The conditions made ball control difficult and it was the Sea Eagles who navigated the situation the best.
The scores were locked at 10-10 at the break, the hosts scoring 14 unanswered points in the second half to secure a vital victory.
The win lifts Manly into fifth-place on the ladder, one point behind the Roosters and Sharks and one point ahead of the Bulldogs. All three teams are still to play this weekend.
For the Warriors, their top eight hopes are effectively over, five points outside the eight with two games and the bye to close out the season.
The visitors controlled the early exchanges, however it was the Sea Eagles who opened the scoring after a Cherry-Evans 40/20 put the side on the attack, with Jason Saab crossing from the ensuing set.
The visitors had a try denied due to an obstruction before they hit back through veteran halfback Shaun Johnson moments later.
The scores were only level for three minutes before Luke Brooks put Tommy Talau through a gap, with Tom Trbojevic finishing off the long-range play.
While Manly attempted to kick clear, the Warriors hit back before the break when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak completed an acrobatic finish in the corner to make it 10-10 at half-time.
The Sea Eagles were the first to strike after the players returned to the field, Reuben Garrick leaping through the air to snare a Cherry-Evans bomb.
The rain started to fall soon after, with ball control becoming increasingly difficult in the wet conditions.
The Warriors had chances to hit back, but they couldn’t convert and Manly made them pay when Trbojevic put Lehi Hopoate over in the corner before Garrick kicked a penalty goal in the final play of the game to secure a 24-10 victory.
