A try in the dying stages has seen a gallant Manly Warringah Sea Eagles suffer a 12-10 loss to St George-Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
Both teams went into the round six Telstra Premiership match on a three-game winning streak with Manly chasing its first win in Wollongong since 2003.
The game marked the 100th NRL/Club game for Manly junior Jake Trbojevic while former Gold Coast Titans prop Morgan Boyle (below) became the 613th player to represent the Sea Eagles with his Club debut.
The Sea Eagles were forced to soak up plenty of pressure in the opening eight minutes with their defence first class, resulting in the Dragons kicking a penalty goal through Tim Lafai in the eighth minute for a 2-0 lead.
Manly prop Toff Sipley then went an inch within scoring under the posts in the 12th minute.
The Dragons capitalised on a dropped bomb by Brendan Elliot in the 16th minute when full-back Matt Dufty scored from a Ben Hunt grubber kick in the next set of six. Lafai converted for an 8-0 lead.
Elliot was then taken from the field in the 20th minute for a HIA test after a collision with a Dragons defender with winger Rueben Garrick moving back to full-back.
The Sea Eagles opened their account when centre Brad Parker (below) hit a hole perfectly to score off some great play from half-back Daly Cherry-Evans in the 32nd minute. Cherry-Evans failed to convert to leave Manly trailing 8-4.
Lafai then missed a close penalty goal attempt in the 38th minute with the Sea Eagles digging deep in defence to go into half-time trailing 8-4.
The Sea Eagles drew level when Cherry-Evans dived under the posts after a great tunnel ball pass from Corey Waddell in the 58th minute. Cherry-Evans converted his own try to give Manly a 10-8 lead.
The Sea Eagles found plenty in defence under pressure from the Dragons in their own quarter before Lafai missed a penalty goal in the 76th minute after Parker was penalised for a trip.
Two minutes later, the Dragons scored through winger Mikaele Ravalawa when a kick by half-back Ben Hunt on the last tackle saw the ball bounce past Parker and Taufua to sit up for the winger to score for the 12-10 lead.
Manly now play Canberra Raiders at Lottoland on Sunday, April 28, at 2pm.
