After holding a healthy 20-6 halftime lead, the One New Zealand Warriors gave it away before salvaging a 26-22 victory over the Sea Eagles in Saturday's Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) clash at 4 Pines Park in Sydney.
Coming off one of their worst efforts of the season in last week’s 14-40 loss to Penrith, the Warriors were clearly in the mood to rebound as they put together a potent opening.
Maui Winitana-Patelesio – coming into the halves for Jett Cleary – pumped a bomb to the right, winger Brandon Norris climbing to snare it and feeding second rower Alvin Chong Nee for a fifth minute try.
Four minutes later the recipe was the same, this time halfback Jack Thompson lofting a kick wide from the left to the right where it was Norris again who grabbed it and this time scored himself.
The Warriors stayed locked in and in the 22nd minute they had their third try when Thompson came back on an angled run all the way to the line.
Match: Sea Eagles v Warriors
Round 17 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
13th Position
away Team
Warriors
10th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
At 16-0 the Warriors were well in charge, a Manly try a momentary setback before they went further ahead.
Moving the ball to the left, Patrick Moimoi made a half break off Thompson’s service, off loading out the back for Winitana-Patelesio to score in the 30th minute for a 20-6 lead.
The halftime break flipped the contest, the Warriors unable to retain their rhythm as the Sea Eagles lifted their intensity scoring 16 points in the space of seven minutes to take the lead 22-20 after 55 minutes.
The Warriors were being stretched but they found a way of checking the onslaught, got into the grind and set about rescuing a victory which really shouldn’t have been in doubt.
It was loose forward Paea Sikuvea who provided the get out of jail pass when he powered up from 10 metres out, scattering defenders to score near the left-hand upright leaving Norris with an easy conversion.
Ahead 26-22 there was still plenty of time for the Sea Eagles to hit back or for the Warriors to go further ahead. Neither happened as the Warriors held firm to seal their sixth win of the season.
They remain 10th on the ladder with other results leaving them among four teams level on 16 points with the Dragons seventh on points for and against ahead of the Wests Tigers in eighth and the Roosters ninth.
The Warriors have a bye next week.
