Cowboys clunky as Manly take important victory in Townsville

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North Queensland Cowboys v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

The Manly Sea Eagles have put a poor month of football behind them to run out 24-6 winners over a clunky and poor Cowboys side at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Starting with dominant possession and territory, the Cowboys could only watch Manly and Jason Saab in particular go 90m the other way to open the scoring after the hosts turned the ball over in good position.

The hosts continued their dominance of the ball and territory but couldn't throw a punch that landed until the last five minutes of the half when Robert Derby went over. Scott Drinkwater converted and then a few minutes later had a penalty goal chance to put the Cowboys 8-6 ahead but missed.

The territory and possession stats favoured the Cowboys in the first half and the second half started the same way as the first as Manly scored first through Jason Saab when he outleapt Murray Taulagi to score.

Most of the next 20 minutes was played in the middle half of the field with neither side really able to capitalize on anything although just after the hour mark, the Cowboys crossed through Scott Drinkwater although it was knocked back both on-field by Grant Atkins and the bunker with the ball being caught on the inside of the leader runner which is a black and white obstruction.

The Sea Eagles earned a penalty soon after and shot for a 14-6 lead before two tries in the last ten minutes with one going to Lehi Hopoate who was on the outside of the Cowboys defence to bring it round to score pushed it out to a 20-6 lead. Then a strange try for Manly when Ben Trbojevic passed the ball and got it back after it was touched by the Cowboys and Trbojevic got the try ball to the ground.

The win pushes Manly back up over the Cowboys on the ladder ahead of their clash at Parramatta against the Eels on Friday night whilst the Cowboys get their first bye of the season next week.