A strong defensive effort paved the way for an important 30-6 win for the One New Zealand Warriors in their round seven Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) encounter with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles on Saturday.
Played at Dilworth School Senior Campus – the first time a Warriors side has played at a school – the TJ Ashford-coached side was bent on rectifying its wrongs after a run of three straight losses coming into this contest.
The Warriors had conceded 36 points against both the Wests Tigers and the Sharks and 26 against the Storm last week but they lifted their defence immeasurably against the Sea Eagles yielding just one try.
They settled in for a battle from the start, working patiently before second rower Connor Bowden ran a great line off a Tyson Hansen short ball to open the scoring in the 18th minute.
Match: Warriors v Sea Eagles
Round 7 -
home Team
Warriors
7th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
14th Position
Venue: Dilworth School Senior Campus, Auckland
The only other try of the first half came 30 minutes when the Warriors went to a short left side with centre Taipari Wikitera putting his winger Harry Tauafiafi over wide out.
The Sea Eagles reacted with their only points in the 51st minute to be just 4-10 down but the Warriors finished strongly with another four tries.
After a dart from hooker Amasio Tiatia the Warriors went right, centre Motu Pasikala coming back against the grain for a brilliantly taken try in the 58th minute.
When the Sea Eagles failed to find touch from a penalty, the Warriors cashed in with Tiatia opening them up from dummy half a few tackles later to extend the lead to 20-6 with eight minutes left.
Three minutes later second rower Dezman Laban sparked a sensational try. Breaking up the sideline from his own goal-line he raced 70 metres before being rounded up by the cover.
Moments later halfback Jack Thompson breached Manly’s defence before off loading just short of the line for fullback Joseph Ratcliffe to score.
Well clear at 26-6 the Warriors capped their day in the final moments, Thompson bombing right where Brandon Norris climbed superbly tapping the ball back two-handed for Pasikala to catch on his fingertips to score his second of the day
The win leaves the Warriors eighth on eight points with a 4-3 record.
They’re involved in a New South Wales Cup-Jersey Flegg Cup doubleheader at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton next Saturday when they face the Silktails (2.00pm kick-off).
