Manly claim controversial victory

The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles have claimed a controversial victory over the North Queensland Cowboys, 26-21, at Central Coast Stadium in front of 10,013.

The controversy came as the Sea Eagles were awarded a late try by the video referee despite questions over an obstruction play ran by Jamie Buhrer.

Steve Matai opened up the points account as he stepped easily away from the Cowboys right side defence. The Sea Eagles, 6-0 after just 5 minutes of play.

North Queensland then went on to score three tries through Kyle Feldt (21st minute) and a double to Brent Tate (26th and 32nd minute) who racked up his 80th career try. The Cowboys in command as Johnathan Thurston led his team around the park comfortably to take a 14-6 lead into the sheds after 40 minutes.

Thurston looked to extend the lead to 10 points shortly after the resumption of play with a penalty goal, however his radar missing the mark. The Cowboys lead, 14-6 after 42 minutes.

There has been a lot of media focus on the playing future of the Stewart brothers with contract negations continuing with the Manly club. However, talks not effecting their play as they linked together to send Jorge Taufua over in the corner for the first of his two tries. 10 minutes into the second half, Cowboys 14-10.

Curtis Rona on debut for the Cowboys made it a night to remember as darted over the try line via an offload from Michael Morgan. Rona stamped his mark on the game as the Mackay Cutters player doesn't appear like he will see much more of the Queensland Cup.

Jorge Taufua posted his second try as he won a foot race with Michael Morgan as he bolted down the sideline. The Sea Eagles closed the game to six points, 20-14.

The video referees put themselves in hot water again as a controversial call saw the Sea Eagles lock the game up at 20-all. An obstruction play was left unpenalised as Jamie Buhrer stopped in the defensive line blocking Ray Thompson's tackle on Foran.

Thurston looked to have clawed back victory in the 75th minute with a pin-point field goal, 21-20, however it wasn't to be as Manly went on to upset the travelling Cowboys with a Jamie Buhrer try. Kieran Foran backed himself to play to run the ball on the last tackle to set up his second rower.

The Sea Eagles upsetting the Cowboys, 26-21, as captain Johnathan Thurston said post match he was used to calls going against the North Queensland club.

"When you're playing in a Cowboys jersey you get used to it"

Next week the Cowboys will be out to prove themselves again as they come up against Eels in the first of 3 home games in a row at 1300SMILES Stadium. Meanwhile the Sea Eagles head back to Brookvale Oval to battle the Canberra Raiders.

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (26)
Tries: Steve Matai, Jorge Taufua (2), Kieran Foran, Jamie Buhrer
Field Goals: Jamie Lyon (0/1)
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (3/5)
Penalty Goals:

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (21)
Tries: Kyle Feldt, Brent Tate (2), Curtis Rona
Field Goals: Johnathan Thurston (1/1)
Conversions: Kyle Feldt (0/2), Johnathan Thurston (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Johnathan Thurston (0/1)

LATE MAIL: Manly Sea Eagles - Daly Cherry-Evans has been ruled with a knee injury. Jamie Lyon shifts into the halves, David Williams returns on the wing to push Peta Hiku into the centres.

LATE MAIL: North Queensland Cowboys - Kane Linnett has been replaced by Kyle Feldt on the wing due to a back injury he suffered in his side's loss to Wests Tigers in Round 6. Joel Riethmuller drops off the bench to give Glenn Hall the final bench spot.

1: We are UNDERWAY at Central Coast Stadium as the Manly Sea Eagles kick off through Steve Matai.

5: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Steve Matai. Kick to come.
Steve Matai opens the scoring for the Sea Eagles as he stepped away from the Cowboys defence easily on the western side.

6: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Jamie Lyon makes no mistake with the conversion attempt from out wide of the posts to extend the lead

12: ZERO TACKLE for the Sea Eagles as Curtis Rona comes up with a mistake at the back.

15: A long floating pass is thrown from Matthew Wright. Scrum packs for the Sea Eagles on the halfway. Manly holding strong on their line defence as the Cowboys attempted to spread wide across the park

17: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
David Williams makes an unforced error.
David Williams unable to take the rushed last tackle kick from Steve Matai, zero tackle called at the end of the play for the Cowboys who work it off their own 20 metre line.

18: Jamie Lyon stabs a kick long downfield on the last tackle to give the Cowboys a 20 metre, zero tackle tap as a result.

19: Forward pass was originally called, but a penalty is awarded to the Cowboys as Glenn Stewart knocked the pass down from an offside position at marker. Cowboys kick for touch and attack 40 metres out from the try line.

20: VIDEO REFEREE for the Cowboys, we have a TRY for Kyle Feldt, this is magical as he flew in off a Thurston cross field kick.

21: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Kyle Feldt. Kick to come.
Kyle Feldt has been awarded the Cowboys first four-pointer of the night as he flew in across the try line off a pin-point cross field kick from Johnathan Thurston.

22: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Kyle Feldt unsuccessful.
Kyle Feldt given the kicking duties in place of Johnathan Thurston who hasn't been the best kicker this year. Feldt in his place pushes the kick wide to the left

23: Time off here as Steve Matai is down after taking heavy contact from Curtis Rona as he tried to defuse the Cowboys play

23: Play continues as Brent Tate knocked on, change over for the Sea Eagles 10 metres out from their own try line.

23: ZERO TACKLE for the Cowboys as the Sea Eagles hand up possession with a loose carry. Cowboys attack 15 metres out

24: Robert Lui places a grubber kick through the Manly defence, Gavin Cooper was chasing through line to force Brett Stewart to knock the ball dead. Line drop out for the Sea Eagles to give the Cowboys a repeat set

26: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Brent Tate. Kick to come.
Brent Tate sails into a gap of the defensive line as he took a beautiful short pass from Johnathan Thurston as the Cowboys ran the ball to the western corner

27: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Kyle Feldt unsuccessful.
Kyle Feldt with the conversion attempt slices the kick from next to the uprights and the score remains a 2 point gap.

28: Steve Matai's kick off is out on the full. Penalty back on half way for the Cowboys, but the touch finder fails to cross the sideline. Manly come up with possession as a result.

29: Manly spread quickly across the field to Steve Matai who tried to squeeze Jorge Taufua down the western sideline, but rookie Curtis Rowe up to the task putting him over the sideline. Scrum for the Cowboys

30: Jorge Taufua is wrapped up in goal by the Cowboys chasers as he took the Thurston chip kick. Line drop out for the Sea Eagles to give the Cowboys a repeat set

32: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Brent Tate. Kick to come.
Brent Tate racks up his 80th career try as he sliced through the Manly defence on the goal line. Beautiful inside pass from Thurston sees the centre sail over the try line.

33: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston back with the kicking duties as he is successful with the conversion attempt to extend the lead for the Cowboys

39: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Brenton Lawrence makes an unforced error.
Brenton Lawrence charging into the Cowboys defence unable to completely crack the line as he fumbled the ball. Scrum for the Cowboys.

40: HALF TIME at Central Coast Stadium sees the North Queensland Cowboys lead the Manly Sea Eagles 14-6. Johnathan Thurston has starred in the Cowboys side who get them rolling through the Manly pack.

40: Second half about to get underway here in Gosford as the Cowboys exit the sheds

40: Second half is UNDERWAY as the Cowboys kick off to give Manly first use of the ball.

42: Penalty goes to the Cowboys as Jamie Lyon came across and placed a shoulder charge on Curtis Rona.

42: UNSUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Penalty goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston unsuccessful.
Thurston opts for the penalty goal to get the first points of the second half, but his conversion of the penalty goal is wide of the posts

45: Michael Morgan running around his players and straightened his run, placed a grubber kick to then trap Taufua in goal. Line drop out for the Sea Eagles, which stand at 3-0 now

46: Johnathan Thurston was flying through off a kick ahead from Jason Taumalolo but it just beats him over the dead ball line. 20 metre tap for the Sea Eagles

47: Rory Kostjasyn concedes the Cowboys first penalty of the game for holding down. Foran kicks for touch and the Sea Eagles attack 15 metres out from the Cowboys line

48: VIDEO REFEREE for the Sea Eagles, we have a TRY for Jorge Taufua, looking at grounding as he dived in the corner.

49: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jorge Taufua. Kick to come.
Jorge Taufua is awarded his try as he dived over in the eastern corner as the Stewart brothers linked together to combine for Manly's second try

50: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Jamie Lyon with the conversion attempt on the eastern sideline, swung the kick away to the left of the posts

54: Jorge Taufua did well to get himself into the field of play with Tate chasing him down off the Thurston kick on the last tackle.

55: The second tackle in the set, Peta Hiku attempt to run out of the play but is force over the goal line. Line drop out again for the Cowboys.

57: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Curtis Rona. Kick to come.
Curtis Rona claims a try on debut for the Cowboys as he darted over the try line thanks to a great offload from Michael Morgan as he fell to ground.

57: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston with the conversion attempt from beside the uprights nails the conversion to extend the Cowboys lead

59: Penalty to the Sea Eagles, Kyle Feldt caught with a second effort in the ruck. Manly find the sideline and march up to the halfway line.

60: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Justin Horo makes an unforced error.
Justin Horo fumbles the pass from Foran and it's knocked on. Change over with the Cowboys deep in their own half

64: Forward pass is called as Rory Kostjasyn throws a long pass across to his winger. Scrum for the Sea Eagles 10 metres short of half way

66: VIDEO REFEREE for the Cowboys, we have NO TRY for Jason Taumalolo. Looking at grounding

67: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jorge Taufua. Kick to come.
Jorge Taufau has out bolted Michael Morgan it was a foot race down the eastern sideline as Brett Stewart linked with his winger to put him into space.

68: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Jamie Lyon with the conversion attempt again pushes the kick to the left of the posts.

71: VIDEO REFEREE for the Sea Eagles, Foran has a TRY. Looking at obstruction.

71: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Kieran Foran. Kick to come.
Kieran Foran is awarded the try as he went into a hole as the dummy was sold, Buhrer was ruled not to have obstructed despite starting in the line.

72: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Jamie Lyon strikes it well this time as he slots the extras to lock the game up

73: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Field goal attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Jamie Lyon with the first field goal attempt, a long distance strike as he took an attempt 40 metres out. Missed wide of the post to the right. Cowboys with the 20 metre tap

75: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Field goal attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Johnathan Thurston somehow managed to strike the field goal and nailed it as he was tackled. Amazing kick from the 5/8th

76: Mistake from the Cowboys gives the Sea Eagles a scrum feed 35 metres out from the Cowboys try line.

76: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jamie Buhrer. Kick to come.
Jamie Buhrer as sailed into the hole of the Cowboys defence as he took a brilliant short pass from Kieran Foran. Manly strike up and it's a tight finish here.

77: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Jamie Lyon converts from beside the uprights. Cowboys can still steal here with a try

78: Short kick off taken by the Cowboys, chance here to steal the game.

79: Penalty to the Sea Eagles. Cowboys chanced their arm on the last tackle but nothing comes of it. Manly with possession 10 metres off their own try line.

80: FULL TIME at Central Coast Stadium sees the Sea Eagles fight back over the Cowboys 26-21 in controversial circumstances.