A brave Manly Leagues fought very hard to the end in a 26-8 loss to Wentworthville Magpies in round 14 of the Sydney Shield at Ringrose Park today.
The Sea Eagles stuck it to the competition leaders for 65 minutes, before a HIA to halfback Leroy Murray was the catalyst for the Magpies to finish strongly.
Manly Leagues again proved that they can match it with the best teams when they stick to their structures and get themselves into the grind.
Wentworthville crossed in the fourth minute through winger Isikeli Iaqekoro for a 4-0 lead after the Magpies decided to chance their arm on the fifth tackle.
Manly Leagues hit back in similar fashion 11 minutes later after Munga Burani scooped the ball up on the last tackle, before summing up the situation well to roll in an inch perfect chip kick for Gabe Stuart to score in the corner to make it 4-all.
The deadlock didn't last long with Magpies winger Josh Delailoa crossing in the 21st minute for an 8-4 lead. Manly Leagues got the numbers right when defending a Magpies set play, Delailoa was just too strong crashing over three Manly defenders.
Murray turned the game into an arm wrestle with his impressive kicking game, forcing Wentworthville to continually work the ball out of their end to close the first at 8-4.
Back rower Joshua Hey extended Wentworthville's lead to 14-4 through a converted try in the 47th minute after he picked up a bouncing ball and beat Manly's sliding defence by cutting back on the inside.
With 20 minutes remaining, Manly were gifted a golden opportunity to get back into the game through dummy half Thomas Thelander, who rolled in a grubber that the Magpies knocked on a metre out from their own line. Unfortunately, Baruani sailed the ball over the touchline in an attempt to tip the ball onto his backline.
Thelander was penalised in the 63rd minute for taking out Magpies halfback Liam Davidson to allow fullback Dermot McKeever-King to slot a penalty goal from in front to push their lead out to two converted tries.
Wentworthville Magpies put the final nails in the coffin scoring two consecutive tries in three minutes to centre Emosi Alamoti and winger Isikeli Iaqekoro for a 26-4 scoreline.
Manly Leagues scored a consolation try in the 74th minute through Thelander after he scooted from dummy half to burrow his way under several Magpies defenders to score for the 26-8 full-time score.
The Sea Eagles take on St Marys in round 15 on Sunday July 14, at 3pm at Lionel Watts Reserve, Frenchs Forest.
Wentworthville 26 (Isikeli Iaqekoro, Josh Delailoa, Joshua Hey, Emosi Alamoti, Isikeli laqekoro tries; Ayden Carling, Dermot McKeever-King, Liam Davidson goals) d Manly Leagues 8 (Gabe Stuart, Thomas Thelander tries).
