Match Report: NRL Round 18 vs Eels

The Sea Eagles held a two-point lead at half time but made far too many errors after the break, completing at just 66% across the eighty minutes.

Left centre Clayton Faulalo was sent for a HIA after just four minutes following a head clash but was cleared to return.  In his first game back from injury, he was again forced from the field later in the match with a hamstring strain.

First points of a low scoring first half came after a break down the left edge from Ben Trbojevic.  It led to a penalty to Manly when the Eels were caught offside while scrambling to get their line set.

Jamal Fogarty took the two points on offer to put Manly in front 2-0 after seven minutes.

A penalty for a high tackle against Taniela Paseka helped the Eels into good field position and they went close to scoring in the twelfth minute, but failed to collect a cross-field kick cleanly.

A kick in behind from Joey Walsh forced a repeat set for Manly in the 15th minute but a knock-on by Taniela Paseka early in the next set relieved pressure on the Eels.

A mistake at the play-the-ball by Jake Trbojevic then handed the Eels another shot in good field position but again Manly’s defence held firm.

The were Eels helped out of their own by a penalty against Ben Trbojevic for holding down at the ruck, and it wasn't long before they turned possession into points.

Parramatta’s first try of the match came when five-eighth Ronald Volkman split through two defenders from close range to score next to the posts to put the home side ahead 6-2.

Manly were again forced to defend their own line after a well-placed bomb from Volkman forced a repeat set.

A Joey Walsh intercept on his own line in the 33rd minute gave Manly a much-needed break, with a dash downfield by Lehi Hopoate getting the Sea Eagles into Parramatta's half.

Manly scored their first try in the 36th minute when quick hands from Ben Trbojevic and Faulalo delivered Hopoate his 13th try of the season.

Jamal Fogarty couldn't land the sideline conversion which left the score level at 6-6.

Manly were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when the Eels chasers were in front of the kicker.  Fogarty again took the two points on offer to put his team ahead 8-6 at the break.

Parramatta took just a couple of minutes to open the scoring in the second half when Dylan Walker made a break and provided a clever flick pass for his second rower, Kelma Tuilagi. Jonah Pezet’s missed the conversion leave the Eels ahead 10-8.

Manly regained possession from a short restartf and scored at the end of that set. A neat chip towards the posts from Fogarty was tapped back by Tom Trbojevic into the arms of Walsh who just managed to cross the stripe.

Further mistakes by Manly allowed the Eels to mount further pressure and they crossed for their third try in the 53rdminute.

The Sea Eagles were caught short for numbers on their right when edge forward Kitione Kautoga offloaded to Isaiah Iongi who went in to score.

Josh Feledy was called on mid-way through the second half when Faulalo was forced from the field with a hamstring injury, with Manly trailing 16-14.

With 14 minutes remaining, the Eels looked certain to extend their lead when Tuilagi scooped up another Manly dropped ball and raced 40 metres, only to lose possession just short of the line.

A few minutes later Parramatta did extend their lead when Pezet collected his own kick close to the line to cross for his team’s fourth try of the match.

It gave the Eels an eight-point buffer with eight minutes to play.

Manly went very close to scoring in the 74th minute when Ethan Bullemor was brought down inches from the line after Turbo put Hopoate into space down the western touchline.

With one minute remaining Pezet landed a field goal from in front to seal a 23-14 victory for the Eels, their sixth win of the season.

The Sea Eagles will again go in search of their 1000th victory as a club when they host the Cowboys next Sunday at 4 Pines Park.