Match Report: Jersey Flegg Cup R2 vs Warriors

Manly let a 20-4 lead in the first half slip but managed to hold on in the second half as the teams traded tries in a 60-point thriller at Navigation Home Stadium, Pukekohe, on Saturday morning.

The Warriors opened the scoring after six minutes with a strong run down the left edge through Sefanaia Cowley-Lupo for an early 4-0 lead.

A quick shift down the left edge freed up space for the Sea Eagles to fly, with the visiting side hitting back in the 11th minute through half-back Joey Walsh.

The tryscorer started the play at the halfway mark and popped a short ball to fullback Jake Smith to send him into open space. The latter drew in his opposite number and found Walsh, who raced away to score and level the scores at 4-all.

Manly continued to build momentum as they scored again three minutes later. Hard-running centre Oliver Lawry set up the play with a strong run down the right side to beat two defenders before passing to Zachary Karam, who beat the last man to score for an 8-4 lead.

The Sea Eagles had their third as Walsh found the line again in the 19th minute. The crafty half-back fooled the defence with a dummy pass inside the ten-metre line and squeezed past three defenders to score next to the posts for a 14-4 scoreline.

Manly couldn’t believe their luck as they scored their fourth try in the 21st minute, with Walsh sealing his hat-trick.

Hooker Zaidas Muagututia scooped the ball up around the halfway mark and found captain Broden Konz on his inside. The lock got stuck in a tackle but passed to Walsh on his outside who raced away to score his third try in a ten-minute span to extend their lead to 20-4.

The home side scored tries in the 28th minute and on the stroke of half-time through Jacob Auloa and Motu Pasikala to cut the deficit to 20-16 at the break.

Manly came out the gates flying in the second half with a try under the posts for Konz after just one minute. Walsh ran at the line and threw a short ball to Konz to send him through untouched for a 26-16 scoreline.

The Warriors hit back four minutes later as Makaia Tafua barged over to bring his side back within touching distance at 26-22.

Sea Eagles utility Campbell Munn took the score to 32-22 in the 56th minute as he spun away from three defenders to score next to the posts.

The two sides continued to trade tries as the Warriors hit back three minutes later. Tafua barged through the defence to score his second try under the posts for a 32-28 scoreline, setting up a grandstand finish.

Manly managed to hold out some relentless attempts from the Warriors in the final ten minutes to hold on for a four-point victory and a deserved two competition points, making it two wins in a row for Anthony Watmough’s side.