Second Half Comeback sinks Sea Eagles
Three tries in 10 minutes from the Penrith Panthers saw then snatch a 30-20 victory from Manly in Round 4 of the SG Ball Cup at Brookvale Oval.
A 20-6 lead at halff-time wasn’t enough as the Sea Eagles went without a try in the second half.
The first big chance came after seven minutes for the Panthers through winger Nick Murphy. Halfback Luke Hanson threw a cut-out ball to Murphy, who was unable to keep his footing as he fell short of the line before being taken over the sideline by Manly.
In fine fashion, the Sea Eagles scored in the very next set through winger Maxwell Taotua after making some decent ground down the field. Fullback Lehi Hopoate was influential in the play with a perfect cut-out pass, creating space for Taotua to score to take a 4-0 lead.
Manly had another four minutes later on the left edge through centre Koby Douglas, who crashed over the line with a strong run off a short ball from the ruck, extending the scoreline to 8-0.
Second-rower Broden Konz scored the Sea Eagles’ third try in the 17th minute after tricking the defence with an offload attempt before spinning out of the tackle for a try. Halfback Tylor Bunting converted for a 14-0 lead.
The visitors snagged their first try in the 21st minute as prop Luron Patea burrowed his way underneath the defence from a pass off the ruck. Five-eighth Riley Pollard converted to take the score to 14-6.
Penrith’s woes continued with an error from kick-off followed shortly by the sin-binning of centre Poutoa Hotere-Papalii. Manly Hooker Jake Fulton took advantage and scored after wrestling out of three defenders and wriggling his way over for a tough try. Bunting converted to extend the lead to 20-6 with nine minutes remaining in the first half.
The Panthers tried to pull something from nothing in the final minute of the half, hoping to lower the deficit. Centre Wilson De Courcey put a grubber kick towards the in-goal area on the ten-metre line but it trickled over the sideline, with the Sea Eagles heading into the sheds with a 14-point lead at half-time.
Penrith hit back with a well-worked try through winger Nick Murphy in the 40th minute, planting Hopoate on the ground with some fine footwork metres out from the line. Pollard converted to bring the score to 20-10.
Douglas was then sin-binned in the 45th minute. Despite the man disadvantage and heavy pressure from the Panthers, the Sea Eagles managed to hold on with some compact defence on their tryline.
Just as Douglas returned to action, the Panthers continued their second-half momentum to score on the right edge through winger David Afu to bring the match within touching distance at 20-16 in the 56th minute.
The Panthers regained possession after an error from kick-off and found the line with just under ten minutes of play remaining. Luron Patea scored his second try next to the posts but despite the position, the kick was missed by Pollard leaving the scores locked up at 20-all.
In quick succession, Penrith scored two more tries in a span of four minutes from the 63rd minute to take and extend their lead to 30-20, with the siren sounding a minute later for fulltime.
The Sea Eagles face the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 5 of the SG Ball Cup at HE Laybutt Field on Saturday, March 4, from 3pm.
