RUGBY LEAGUE NEWS:
Round 25:
First half blitz sees Manly home against Dragons
Written by: Ian Ritchie
September 2nd, 2007 04:35 PM

Match Summary
A great first half performance from the Manly Sea Eagles has seen them claim a 28-24 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons. Manly led 28-6 at halftime, care of three tries in a six minute period.

The Dragons had early attacking possession, but for the first 10 minutes of the game Manly were constantly on attack, and Steve Matai opened the scoring crossing out wide.

Following a superb 40/20 kick, Michael Monaghan dived over from dummy half to double the Eagles lead.

Five minutes later the Dragons looked like making a game of it, and on their first real attacking opportunity Mark Gasnier scored off a Beau Scott break.

All thoughts of an early comeback were quashed as an inspired Manly side piled on 16 points. A Jamie Lyon short pass but Steve Bell over, and from the ensuing kickoff, Michael Bani broke through and put Brett Stewart over to extend the lead to 22-6. Monghan claimed his second try with another dummy half effort.

After halftime it appeared that both teams had put the cue in the rack, however the Dragons didn’t give up in the final quarter.

Mark Gasnier claimed a bomb to bring the score back to 28-12. Matt Cooper scored off a stunning Ben Creagh offload to bring the margin back to 10 points with 10 minutes remaining.

Jason Nightingale scored with two minutes to go, but the Dragons were unable to score in the final set, allowing Manly to hold onto the win.

The Dragons can now enjoy Mad Monday, while Manly will play host to the Rabbitohs at Brookvale Oval on Saturday night.

Match Details
Round 25 - Full Time :: September 2nd, 2007 02:00 PM
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Crowd: 18,637
Referee: Steve Clark
Half time: Sea Eagles 28-6

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28
Tries: Steve Matai, Michael Monaghan (2), Steven Bell, Brett Stewart
Goals: Matt Orford (4/5)
St George Illawarra Dragons 24
Tries: Mark Gasnier (2), Matt Cooper, Jason Nightingale
Goals: Jamie Soward (4/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Player of the Match
3 Points: Michael Monaghan (Sea Eagles)
2 Points: Brett Stewart (Sea Eagles)
1 Point: Michael Bani (Sea Eagles)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary
Beautiful Sunday afternoon at Brookvale Oval today.

For the Dragons, Peek is out. Houston comes in off the bench and Hunt moves to the bench. Williamson is out for Manly, Afamsaga is starting, Mauro to the bench. Hicks is out, replaced by Bani. Menzies is also out.

1 min: The Dragons kick off to Manly, and Kite is pushed into touch off the kickoff.

1 min: Creagh loses the ball 10 out.

3 min: The Dragons give away a penalty putting Manly on attack, and some push and shove follows.

6 min: Manly squander a good early attacking chance.

8 min: Manly consistantly on attack and get a scrum 10 out.

9 min: Another penalty and again the Dragons must hold on.

10 min: TRY Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly convert the pressure into points, Matai crosses out wide. Conversion attempt by Matt Orford successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 6-0

12 min: 40/20 - Monaghan kicks a superb 40/20, finding touch a metre out.

13 min: VIDEO REF - For a Manly try...

14 min: TRY Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Monaghan dummies out of dummy half and reaches out to score under the posts. Conversion attempt by Matt Orford successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 12-0

19 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Beau Scott breaks through the Manly line and passes the ball back to Gasnier who scores under the posts. Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 12-6

21 min: The Dragons look threatening again and show some superb broken field play before Josh Morris drops the ball.

24 min: Nightingale makes a great escape from the ingoal, and Cooper knocks on at dummy half, putting Manly back on attack.

25 min: VIDEO REF - For a Manly try...

25 min: TRY Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Lyon throws a short ball to Bell - who almost ran into Lyon, before Bell broke through the line and scored in the tackle of Jamie Soward. Conversion attempt by Matt Orford successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 18-6

27 min: TRY Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
The huge Brookvale crowd goes crazy as Manly score off the kickoff - Bani picks up the bouncing ball, breaks through the line and sets up Stewart to score to five in from the right hand touch. Conversion attempt by Matt Orford unsuccessful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 22-6

29 min: The Dragons restart goes out on the full.

31 min: Manly pick up a line drop-out.

31 min: TRY Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
It just gets worse and worse for the Dragons. Soward's drop out goes 20 metres, and one play later Monaghan has no trouble reaching out and scoring on the left side of the field. This could be anything. Conversion attempt by Matt Orford successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28-6

38 min: Morris is trapped in the in goal after fielding a bomb.

40 min: Halftime, and Manly go in with a deserved 22 point lead over the Dragons. So far Manly have had nearly three-quarters of the possession.

Both teams returning to the field now.

40 min: Back underway at Brookie!

47 min: The Dragons go on attack after a break and a penalty.

48 min: Stewart makes a great take on grubber but is trapped, giving the Dragons a repeat set.

50 min: Gasnier catches a Soward kick but loses it forward over the sideline. Not really a great kick anyway.

51 min: Manly seem to have put the cue in the rack, but are still looking threatening. Kite with a groin injury and won't return today.

52 min: Soward makes a break and after some ad-lib football the Dragons knock on, hot on attack.

59 min: The Dragons pick up another drop out.

60 min: A great attacking set by the Dragons goes to waste as they are penalised for a poor play the ball.

62 min: Manly go back on attack after getting their ninth penalty, to the Dragons three.

64 min: The Dragons hold on after a Manly mistake.

65 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Soward puts up a bomb, Gasnier flies high and scores. Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28-12

68 min: The Dragons go on attack off a penalty.

70 min: The ball is stripped from Woolford as he attempts to dive over and the Dragons remain on attack.

70 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Cooper latches onto a great Creagh offload and scores under the posts. Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28-18

73 min: Chase Stanley knocks on contesting a bomb and Manly get a scrum 10 out from the Dragons line.

74 min: Manly get a penalty right under the posts and decline the shot at goal.

75 min: CROWD - 18,637

76 min: Gasnier ruled to have knocked on keeping the ball alive.

76 min: Manly kick through from the scrum for Stewart who looks certain to score, but the ball takes a terrible bounce for him.

77 min: A Dragons bust and kick through for Gasnier gets a line drop out.

78 min: TRY St George Illawarra Dragons
Soward kicks for Nightingale who scores in the corner. Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28-24

80 min: The Dragons go way upfield on the final set but run out of time.

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