Manly's best ever Golden Point win
And the winner is…
Yesterday, we ran an article on Manly’s eight Golden Point wins since the introduction of the concept in 2003.
The list of eight attracted plenty of friendly debate on our social media channels from Sea Eagles supporters who were asked what their best Golden Point win was?
So, here it is!
August 27, 2017: Manly 22 d Warriors 21
This game had absolutely everything with plenty of stake on the line for the Sea Eagles.
The lead in
There was some intense pressure on the Sea Eagles to find some of their true form in this Round 25 match following two previous loses.
The Sea Eagles led 20-6 at half-time against the Wests Tigers before being run down 30-26 at Leichhardt Oval. A week later, Manly lost 30-16 to Canterbury at Homebush that saw Coach Trent Barrett’s men drop to eighth place heading into the Warriors clash.
The Warriors went in with a 'nothing to lose' attitude after seven straight losses that saw Coach Stephen Kearney’s team in 13th place in their second last game of the season.
Almost beaten
Trailing 21-14 after 73 minutes, Manly full-back Tom Trbojevic got the Sea Eagles back to within four points after producing a surprised chip and chase to score a fine individual try with three minutes remaining.
The Warriors then made the cardinal sin of kicking the ball out on the full from the restart. It allowed the Sea Eagles to work the ball upfield for Cherry-Evans to nail a field goal to make it 21-all.
Cherry-Evans had one last field goal attempt in regular time but the ball went wide.
The Warriors then made a fatal mistake when winger Ken Maumalo was dragged into touch by a desperate Akuila Uate and Dylan Walker.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man!
This well-known sporting cliché means “a man will appear who can turn the tide and win the contest”.
And as he has done in several Golden Point wins, there is no better ‘clutch’ man for Manly than brilliant half-back and captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
Twenty-five field goals, many of them match-winners, is testament of that.
On this particular, cold and wet miserable Sunday in Auckland, Cherry-Evans not only kicked one vital field goal, but two.
And the match-winner came off his left foot and into a huge gale!
The first, off his preferred right foot, came from 15 metres out with just under two and half minutes left to tie things up at 21-all.
The second was four minutes into extra-time with Cherry-Evans stepping to his right before kicking off his left foot from 23 metres out to seal victory and to sink Canberra Raiders’ season.
A week later, the Sea Eagles beat Penrith at Brookvale to finish the regular season in sixth place. Unfortunately, Penrith knocked out Manly the following week in the qualifying final to end the Sea Eagles year.
