The Panthers took a huge step towards their third minor premiership in four years with a 24-12 win over the Sea Eagles on Thursday night.
The defending champs are riding a seven-game winning streak as they head into games against the Titans, Eels and Cowboys to round out another dominant season.
After a Josh Schuster intercept had threatened to give Manly the perfect start it was Stephen Crichton returning the favour in the eighth minute and racing 70 metres to grab the game’s opening try.
A pinpoint kick from Daly Cherry-Evans from 30 metres out earned Manly a repeat set in the 19th minute and Toafofoa Sipley crashed over from close range to level the scores at 6-6.
The Sea Eagles took the lead in the 27th minute when Cherry-Evans ran the ball on the last tackle and put Reuben Garrick into a hole from close range to make it 12-6 with the fullback’s conversion.
Panthers skipper Isaah Yeo’s ball-playing skills put Moses Leota into a gap withing sight of the Manly goal line with five minutes to play in the half but the prop put the pass down and the opportunity was lost.
Three minutes later the Panthers had their second when the ball was kept alive off a bomb and a grubber and found its way to the left edge where Crichton dived over for his second of the night. Cleary converted from touch to make it 12-12 at the break.
In the space of two minutes to open the second half the Sea Eagles had Ben Trbojevic and Brad Parker sent for head injury assessments and Dean Matterson placed on report for a high shot.
The Panthers extended their lead in the 47th minute when Edwards and Crichton combined to send Sunia Turuva on a long run to the line after Garrick had bizarrely kicked the ball back to the premiers after receiving it on his own 20-metre line from a Cleary kick.
A penalty against Jake Trbojevic for a dangerous tackle in the 52nd minute handed Cleary a chance to add two more points and the Panthers led 20-12.
Come the 64th minute and the Panthers had a fourth when Isaah Yeo, Edwards and Zac Hosking combined on the right to put Brian To’o over in the corner.
From there the Panthers did enough to close out a 24-12 victory – their 16th win of the season and eighth in a row against Manly.
With Cleary in total control and the outside backs all making huge metres the Panthers always had the game under control despite Manly throwing the ball around and asking plenty of questions.
Source: NRL.Com