Edgy Eagles pip Parramatta at the post

The Manly Sea Eagles have tonight run out 22-18 victors over a gallant Parramatta Eels in front of  13,959 fans at Brookvale Oval, although the win will not be enough to send Manly to the top of the table.

As they have often done already in season 2011, Manly scored first points after just four minutes of play. In just their second set of six for the match, the home side threw the ball around on the last tackle, going through at least 10 sets of hands, before Jamie Lyon's grubber into the in-goal was swooped on by Parramatta fullback Jarryd Hayne. Unfortunately for the Eels and their supporters, Hayne attempted to tip-toe down the sideline and although he got on the outside of Manly winger David Williams, the Manly cover defence bundled him into touch. From the ensuing scrum, the Eagles scored a very simple try, but it was done the way only Manly can do. Glenn Stewart fed the scrum, before firing a pass to five-eighth Kieran Foran. Foran's pass got centre Steve Matai on the outside of his man and he had no trouble passing to winger Michael Robertson who had an unimpeded passage to the tryline. The Eels hit back not long after, and it was none other than Jarryd Hayne who set up his winger. Running to the line, Hayne fired a cut-out pass to winger Luke Burt who only had to catch the pass and fall over the line in the corner. Williams got back on level terms with his opposing winger several minutes later when the Stewart brothers combined, sending Brett slicing through the Eels defence, before he passed to Williams who scored in the corner.

Arguably the try of the half was scored by Eels centre Jacob Loko in the 32nd minute. As they did many times throughout the first half, Parramatta ran the ball on the last, with Loko finding himself running out of room. He chipped over the top of the Manly defence, before back-rower Justin Horo toed the ball through and Loko won the race to the ball, despite the Eagles' Kieran Foran's best efforts to hold the ball up. In the shadows of halftime, the Prince of Brookvale was at it again, extending his remarkable tryscoring record to 58 tries in 59 games when he caught the Eels marker defence napping.

The first points of the second half came courtesy of the right-boot of Manly centre Jamie Lyon, who successfully converted a penalty goal attempt after Fuifui Moimoi was ruled to have crowded the player around the ruck. Fortunately for the Eels, Eagles prop George Rose knocked on from the kick-off and halfback Jeff Robson laid a try on for backrower Ben Smith. The halfback ran the ball to the line before delivering a deft kick in behind the Eagles defence and Smith won the race to the ball. With just 16 minutes remaining on the clock, Jarryd Hayne inspired the Eels to put them in front for the first time. Taking advantage of a quick play-the-ball, Robson found Hayne down the short-side and as he did in the first half, the fullback fired a cut-out pass to centre Ryan Morgan. With the Manly cover defence converging, Morgan offloaded inside to Justin Horo who scored out wide to put Parramatta in front for the first time.

With the clock winding down, and just two minutes remaining, the Eels fans would have their hearts broken. The Eagles, sending the ball towards their right edge attack, would have halfback Daly Cherry-Evans basketball a pass to Jamie Lyon and put him into space. With the Parramatta cover defence coming across, Lyon passed to winger David Williams who tiptoed down the eastern touchline. With Jarryd Hayne coming across in cover, the winger kicked back towards the middle of the field and five-eighth Kieran Foran won the race to the ball to send the Brookvale Oval crowd into raptures. The Eels would have one last shot as the fulltime siren sounded, but Hayne's cut-out pass to Horo was ruled forward and the Eagles held on to continue their perfect home record this season.

Next Monday night, the Eagles will battle the Dragons, while the Eels will have to dust themselves off and prepare for a chilly Saturday night in the Nation's Capital

Match Details
Manly Sea Eagles 22 defeated Parramatta Eels 18
National Rugby League - Round 15 - Monday June 20, 2011 7:00pm
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Referee: Tony Archer and Phil Haines
Video Referee: Phil Cooley
Touch Judges: Paul Holland and Jason Walsh
Crowd: 13,959
Halftime: Manly Sea Eagles 14 Parramatta Eels 8

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Glenn Stewart
2 Points - Jarryd Hayne
1 Point - Brett Stewart (1 Try)

MANLY SEA EAGLES (22)
Tries: Brett Stewart, Michael Robertson, David Williams, Kieran Foran
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Jamie Lyon (1/1)

PARRAMATTA EELS (18)
Tries: Luke Burt, Ben Smith, Justin Horo, Jacob Loko
Conversions: Luke Burt (1/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary And a very good evening and welcome to a rather chilly Brookvale Oval on Sydney's Northern Beaches for tonight's Round 15 encounter between the Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels. For the Eagles, it is a chance for them to overtake the Storm at the top of the table, while the Eels will be looking to register a win which will keep them in touch with the top eight.
In team news, the Eels are as per program, while the Eagles lose Will Hopoate from the side named last Tuesday and he is replaced by Michael Robertson in jumper number 18. In the forwards, Joe Galuvao drops back to the bench and Tony Williams comes into the run-on side in the second row.
Full-time in the Toyota Cup curtain raiser and the Parramatta Eels have drawn first blood tonight, running out comfortable 30-16 victors over the Eagles.
Just observing a minutes' silence for the passing of Rex Mossop here at Brookvale tonight,
1 min: And we're underway; Manly will have first use of the ball.
1 min: Cherry-Evans gets a dusty kick away and the Eels move the ball up over halfway.
3 min: Some razzle dazzle play by the Eagles on tackle five sees the ball go through at least 10 sets of hands, before Lyon grubber kicked into the in-goal and Hayne picked up the ball, beat Williams on the outside, but the Manly chasers bundled Hayne into touch. Manly scrum.
4 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Michael Robertson. Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Manly at their best from the scrum! Glenn Stewart played halfback from the scrum, fired a 20m torpedo pass to Foran, before his pass got Matai on the outside of his man, before the centre's pass gave Robertson a free passage to the tryline.
Manly Sea Eagles 6-0
6 min: PENALTY Eagles. Mannah ruled to have slowed the play-the-ball down too much.
8 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Eagles try.
8 min: No Try. A trysaving tackle from Hayne has held Williams up centimetres short of the line.
8 min: Foran's kick on the last is defused by Eels centre Ryan Morgan and Parramatta hang on.
9 min: Manly throw the ball out to Matai, and the Manly centre has attempted to get the pass to Robertson, but the pass fell behind the winger and the Eels toed the ball into the in-goal. Eagles dropout.
11 min: PENALTY Eels. King lying on the tackled player for too long.
12 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Luke Burt. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt unsuccessful.
The Eels hit straight back courtesy of Jarryd Hayne. Running the ball on the last, Hayne feigned to kick into the in-goal before firing a cut-out pass to Burt who crossed in the corner.
Manly Sea Eagles 6-4
17 min: The Eels cut the Eagles defence to shreds on the right edge!
17 min: On tackle five, the Eels put the kick into the in-goal and the Eagles will dropout through Cherry-Evans.
18 min: Keating's pass to Moimoi is disappointing and the forward knocks on.
19 min: Foran's kick spirals towards Hayne who takes the bomb well before Atkins is hit in a solid tackle from Foran.
20 min: Hayne sends the Eels away down the right touchline, with Morgan failing to find Atkins unmarked outside him.
20 min: PENALTY Eagles. Robson is penalised for lying on the tackled player too long.
21 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by David Williams. Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
The Eagles extend their lead! Cherry-Evans and Glenn Stewart combine to send Brett Stewart slicing through the Eels defence, before the fullback drew Hayne and passed on the outside to Williams who crossed in the corner. Lyon's conversion from touch swings away to the left.
Manly Sea Eagles 10-4
24 min: Burt doesn't make a play at Cherry-Evans bomb and Lyon puts a grubber in behind the defence which is cleaned up by the Eels' Atkins.
25 min: Hayne attempts a 40/20, but his long kick sails out on the full. Manly scrum.
26 min: Glenn Stewart can't hang onto Cherry-Evans pass and the Eels will go into Manly territory.
27 min: The Eels run the ball on the last tackle, before Burt's in-field kick is batted over the deadball line by Stewart.
29 min: Robson's cross-field kick is batted back by Burt, before Loko put in another kick which was cleaned up by Foran.
30 min: Cherry-Evans is knocked over after kicking, but the referees allow play to continue.
30 min: McGuire's chipkick on tackle four is picked up by Brett Stewart.
32 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Eels try.
32 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Jacob Loko. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt unsuccessful.
Loko scores for the Eels! Again, running the ball on the last, Loko chipkicked, before Horo toed the ball through and the centre won the race to the ball, despite Foran's attempt to hold him up. Burt's conversion from out wide hits the upright.
Manly Sea Eagles 10-8
36 min: The Stewart brothers are at it again, with Brett slicing through the Eels defence again after a great offload from brother Glenn. The fullback kicked into the in-goal, but Burt batted the ball over the deadball line.
37 min: The Eagles try to run their second-man play out to their left edge, but Smith is ruled to have knocked the ball on attempting the tackle. Scrum Manly.
38 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Brett Stewart. Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Brett Stewart scores another try at Brookvale! Picking the ball up from dummy half, Stewart wrestled free of McGuire's tackle to plant the ball down. Lyon's conversion attempt from up against the sideline swings away.
Manly Sea Eagles 14-8
40 min: Cherry-Evans tries to kick in behind the Eels defence, but Loko dives on the loose ball.
40 min: Halftime here at Brookvale Oval where the Eagles lead the Eels 14-8.
40 min: The second half is underway and the Eels have the ball.
41 min: Hayne's attempted 40/20 sails out on the full. Manly scrum.
43 min: Cherry-Evans' grubber on tackle five appears to have been knocked on by Nathan Hindmarsh, but the referees rule play on.
44 min: Robson's kick on the last trickles over the deadball line.
45 min: Horo busts straight through the Eagles line! Great chance for the Eels here.
47 min: Robson's chip towards the posts is almost perfect! But Hayne can't control the ball on his fingertips; if he had, he scores. 20m restart Manly.
48 min: Foran plugs a kick into the corner, looking for Robertson, but the ball rolls into touch.
50 min: PENALTY Eagles. Allgood taking too long getting off the tackled player.
51 min: PENALTY Eagles. Moimoi ruled to have crowded the player.
52 min: PENALTY GOAL
PENALTY GOAL Manly Sea Eagles
Penalty goal attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon pilots the ball between the uprights at the northern end of Brookvale to extend the lead to 8.
Manly Sea Eagles 16-8
53 min: Rose knocks the ball on from the restart and the Eels go straight on the attack.
53 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Ben Smith. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
The Eels are in again! Robon's grubber into the in-goal is perfectly weighted and Smith wins the race to the ball.
Manly Sea Eagles 16-14
60 min: Williams comes up with a good catch off Robson's bomb.
61 min: Hayne's kick sails over the deadball line. 20m restart Eagles.
62 min: Cherry-Evans can't get the ball to sit up in the in-goal. 20m restart Eels.
64 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Justin Horo. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt unsuccessful.
The Eels hit the lead! The quick play-the-ball found Robson who linked up with Hayne. Hayne fired another cut-out bullet into the arms of Morgan who offloaded inside to Horo who dived over untouched. Burt's conversion from out wide again hits the post.
Parramatta Eels 18-16
66 min: 40/20 Parramatta Eels
Jarryd Hayne kicks a 40/20.
Hayne nails a 40/20 kick with his third attempt of the night! Eels on the attack.
67 min: McGuire nearly slices through the Eagles defence, but big George Rose gets his hands on the diminutive playmaker and the ball comes free.
69 min: Morgan knocks the ball on attempting to get away from King who sprinted out of the line. Great chance for Manly here.
71 min: Buhrer knocks Foran's pass on. If he holds it, he scores the try for the Eagles.
73 min: Glenn Stewart knocks the ball on as the Eagles look to get their noses back in front. Eels scrum.
76 min: Hayne's kick trickles over the deadball line again.
77 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Manly try.
77 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Kieran Foran. Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
The Eagles look like they've stolen victory here tonight! As they ran the ball down the eastern touchline, David Williams kicked back towards the centre and Foran led the race to the ball, scoring the try a metre in from the deadball line.
Manly Sea Eagles 22-18
79 min: The Eels get the ball back from the short kick off and go on the attack with 90 seconds left.
79 min: Matai picks up the loose ball and races 70m before Morgan tackles him and jolts the ball free!
80 min: Hayne tries to throw another one of his cut-out passes to get victory for the Eels, but the pass is forward.
80 min: Fulltime here at Brookvale Oval and Manly have run out 22-18 victors over a gallant Parramatta Eels.