Manly Warringah Sea Eagles suffered a 22-20 loss to the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium today in round nine of the Telstra Premiership
The Sea Eagles played with plenty of spirit and energy in a much improved performance to really pushed the Roosters after the scores were locked at 14-all at half-time.
However, a series of drop balls, and some misfortune in a tight second half, hurt the Sea Eagles in the end.
The loss was Manly's fifth consecutive defeat to leave them with just two wins for the season.
The Sea Eagles got off to a perfect start when prop Addin Fonua-Blake charged through a gap 10 metres out to score under the posts for a 4-0 lead after four minutes. Captain and half-back Daly Cherry-Evans missed the conversion from in front of the posts.
Winger Akuila Uate then burrowed his way to the line from dummy half to score. Cherry-Evans converted for a 10-0 lead after 11 minutes.
The Roosters hit back in the 14th minute when Blake Ferguson dived over for a try in the right corner after full-back James Tedesco drew in Cherry-Evans and centre Brian Kelly to send his winger over.
Centre Latrell Mitchell converted from the sideline for a 10-6 scoreline.
Manly saw a tryscoring opportunity go begging in the 16th minute when full-back Tom Trbojevic made a break down the left edge before delivering a poor, forward and low pass to Cherry-Evans who had Jake Trbojevic in support.
The Roosters drew level in the 24th minute when lock Isaac Lui powered his way through an attempted tackle by Api Koroisau, Taniela Paseka and Martin Taupau to plan the ball down on the line next to the posts. Mitchell converted for a 12-10 lead.
The Sea Eagles drew level three minutes later when Cherry-Evans converted a penalty goal.
Four minutes later, the Roosters took a 14-12 lead when Mitchell converted a penalty goal from 25 metres out.
A penalty goal to Cherry-Evans in the 36th minute from 20 metres out after the Roosters were caught offside saw Manly draw level at 14-all. The score remained that way at half-time.
The Roosters took an 18-14 lead two minutes after half-time when prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves broke through a tackle from 10 metres out to score to capitalise on a spilt bomb from Tom Trbojevic. Mitchell converted for a 20-14 lead.
Mitchell extended the lead to 22-14 in the 61st minute through a penalty goal.
The Sea Eagles were denied a second try to Uate five minutes later when a floating pass from Tom Trbojevic was ruled forward.
Two minutes later, the Roosters were denied a second try to Ferguson on a forward pass call.
Uate showed his strength and experience when he spun in a tackle to slam the ball down with one hand to score his second try in the 76th minute. Cherry-Evans converted the try for a 22-20 scoreline.
The Roosters held on in the final minutes to take the two competition points in front of a crowd of 10,129.
Manly play Brisbane Broncos in a home game at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday, May 12, in the annual Brisbane Double Header.
