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globalrugbyleague - Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:52:00 GMTMichael Robertson grabbed two touchdowns for Manly during Sunday's 34-26 victory over the London Harlequins at the stoop.
But it required a second-half fightback from the first-choice 13 after an experimental line-up trailed 20-0 at the interval.
Manly,
who had seen their squad suffer bouts of flu during the week, elected
to start with a number of fringe players and debutants, and were hit by
a Harlequins burst of three tries in a 10-minute spell early in the
first-half.
After six minutes Jon Wells profited from a Danny Orr kick to canter over after Matt Gafa had been held up over the line.
Eight
minutes later quick thinking saw skipper Rob Purdham crash over, and
straight from the restart a Will Sharp break allowed Chad Randall to
cross.
Manly were struggling to find any rhythm, and it took them until the half-hour mark to trouble the home line.
There
was still time for the Londoners to add to their lead before the
interval, Luke Dorn racing on to a clever Purdham kick to stroll under
the posts. Orr was successful with the conversion.
Sea Eagles
coach Des Hasler shook things up at the break and elected to unleash
his side's big guns, with skipper Matt Orford, Jamie Lyon and Brett
Stewart coming off the bench.
Orford had an immediate impact with a perfectly weighted cross kick which Michael Robertson claimed to score.
Robertson was on hand seconds later to cross for his second as the Australians ate into the Quins lead.
Jamie
O'Callaghan touched down to increase Quins' advantage but the Sea
Eagles had their tails up and quick-fire touchdowns by David Williams
and Brett Stewart narrowed the gap to just four points.
The pressure finally told 10 minutes from time when some great hands allowed Lyon to dive over.
Steve Matai crossed in the final moments to seal the victory. - Read More, Here
But it required a second-half fightback from the first-choice 13 after an experimental line-up trailed 20-0 at the interval.
Manly,
who had seen their squad suffer bouts of flu during the week, elected
to start with a number of fringe players and debutants, and were hit by
a Harlequins burst of three tries in a 10-minute spell early in the
first-half.
After six minutes Jon Wells profited from a Danny Orr kick to canter over after Matt Gafa had been held up over the line.
Eight
minutes later quick thinking saw skipper Rob Purdham crash over, and
straight from the restart a Will Sharp break allowed Chad Randall to
cross.
Manly were struggling to find any rhythm, and it took them until the half-hour mark to trouble the home line.
There
was still time for the Londoners to add to their lead before the
interval, Luke Dorn racing on to a clever Purdham kick to stroll under
the posts. Orr was successful with the conversion.
Sea Eagles
coach Des Hasler shook things up at the break and elected to unleash
his side's big guns, with skipper Matt Orford, Jamie Lyon and Brett
Stewart coming off the bench.
Orford had an immediate impact with a perfectly weighted cross kick which Michael Robertson claimed to score.
Robertson was on hand seconds later to cross for his second as the Australians ate into the Quins lead.
Jamie
O'Callaghan touched down to increase Quins' advantage but the Sea
Eagles had their tails up and quick-fire touchdowns by David Williams
and Brett Stewart narrowed the gap to just four points.
The pressure finally told 10 minutes from time when some great hands allowed Lyon to dive over.
Steve Matai crossed in the final moments to seal the victory. - Read More, Here