Orford Kicks Manly Home

Manly half back Matt Orford has put his name up in lights yet again for the Sea Eagles drilling a 25 metre field goal in the 78th minute to give his side a thrilling 23-22 comeback victory over the Parramatta Eels this afternoon at the SCG.

With the Eels defense closing on him quickly Orford managed to get off his shot from an acute angle to give the Sea Eagles a memorable come from behind win over their bitter rivals.

“She wasn’t pretty, but she got there,” Orford said.

“We planned to go a tackle earlier, but they rushed up. At the end of the day though it went over and we took the two points.”

The victory was made that much sweeter as the game was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the 1976 grand final between the two sides, a match that Manly won 13-10.

Parramatta seemed to have the game well under control when leading 16-0 late in the first half, but two tries to the Sea Eagles in the final three minutes before half time set the stage for a remarkable second half recovery that was capped off by Orford’s last gasp winner.

Early on it looked like it was going to be the Eels day with a kick from half back Tim Smith bouncing perfectly into centre Brett Delaney’s arms to give the visitors a 6-0 lead after only five minutes.

Delaney extended Parramatta’s advantage to eight points in the 26th minute with a chip shot penalty goal and a minute later it got even better when winger Matt Peterson leapt highest to claim a Jeremy Smith cross field kick and score in the right hand corner.

Delaney duly knocked over the conversion attempt to make it 14-0 and then he was called into action again in the 33rd minute to slot home his second penalty goal of the game.

Manly were able to silence the blue and gold army in the 37th minute when fullback Brett Stewart scored after some great lead up work from five eighth Travis Burns and then in the final seconds before half time winger Chris Hicks was first to a Steve Menzies grubber kick to send the Sea Eagles into the main break down by just four points (16-12).

With the pressure mounting Parramatta fought back well in the opening stages of the second half with Glenn Morrison scoring after centre Timana Tahu had fought off three defenders and then delivered a magic ball over the top to the bustling second rower.

That lead didn’t last long though with tries to centre Steve Bell and prop Brent Kite leveling the match at 22-22 heading into the final quarter of the match.

Smith missed a chance to put the Eels in front in the 75th minute when his field goal effort missed badly and three minutes later he was made to pay dearly for his failure as Orford snapped home the winner much to the delight of the many Manly fans in attendance.

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