Parramatta survive as Manly's denied a late win on controversial forward pass ruling

Embed from Getty Images

Parramatta Eels v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

The Eels have held on for a three point in controversial circumstances tonight, downing Manly 19-16 at Bankwest Stadium.

After trailing for most of the match, the Sea Eagles were within three points of Parramatta with 55 seconds remaining when a pass from Tom Trbojevic to Reuben Garrick allowed the winger to crash over for a try, only for the play to be brought back on a debatable forward pass call.

Upon replay there was widespread criticism of the live decision, which allowed the Eels to regain possession and hold on for victory.

It was a surprise to find Manly come back to position themselves to win, after the Eels led from the 30th minute and created a 19-12 buffer on the back of a Mitchell Moses field goal in the 72nd minute.

In the 76th minute the Sea Eagles looked out of answers in attack, but a ball from Daly Cherry-Evans to Brad Parker and on to Jorge Taufua allowed the winger to somehow crash over in the corner against the momentum of three diving Parramatta defenders.

On the restart of play Tom Trbojevic tried to connect with Taufua which Blake Ferguson slapped down, but it did grant a fresh set of six for Manly which led to the controversial forward pass call.

The win for the Eels is the ninth time in the last 11 matchups with the Sea Eagles that they've come away on top. Four-straight wins to start the season keeps Parramatta first on the ladder and shows they've been able to address one of their main troubles from last season, consistency and beating the NRL's top teams.

It took 30 minutes for the first try of the match as Clint Gutherson and Dylan Brown combined with passes out the back to give Maika Sivo room to move at close range, Tom Trbojevic stopped Sivo but an offload to Michael Jennings broke the defence.

The final minute before half-time and the first minute after half-time were killers for Manly as they conceded a try in both periods.

Dylan Brown wrapped around Sivo off the scrum break which gave the winger his second try assist of the half.

The Sea Eagles started the second half by losing the ball on the first set and they were unable to stop Kane Evans barging over the line from close range which put them down 18-2.

A Taufua try off a 43rd minute scrum and a powerful Dylan Walker close range solo try against a sliding defence in the 51st minute got Manly back within striking distance of the hosts.

After Reuben Garrick went two for seven on goal conversions last week, he went two for four tonight with both misses coming from Jorge Taufua's wing.

Jorge Taufua's two tries tonight marked his fifteenth career double. Up until today's match the Eels had only conceded two tries in the first three rounds.

The Eels will host the Penrith Panthers next Friday night and the Sea Eagles move up to Thursday night football at Central Coast Stadium to play the Brisbane Broncos.