The Penrith Panthers have won a nail-biter at Brookvale Oval, a late field goal to stand-out performer Matt Moylan the difference in the 11-10 victory.
The Panthers' mercurial fullback was the star of the match, his poise in attack and security in defence a huge factor in the tight victory.
The other major talking point from the match was a record-setting double to Brett Stewart.
The Brookvale Oval faithful had to wait just three minutes to witness their 'Prince' becoming the most prolific Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles try-scorer.
He scored his 152nd try for the club in classic fashion, backing up a Tom Symonds break, to snatch the record of fellow northern beaches legend Steve Menzies.
Against the run of play the Panthers hit back in the 18th minute thanks to a perfect Matt Moylan cut-out pass to David Simmons. The opportunity came off the back of a couple of Manly errors including a Peter Hiku spill off a Panthers bomb.
Stewart set to work extending his try-scoring record and the Sea Eagles advantage in the 22nd minute, getting to the outside of a sliding Penrith defence. Once again he was the beneficiary of a pass from Tom Symonds, who has been filling in brilliantly at five-eighth. The try making it a 10-4 lead to the Sea Eagles at halftime.
A piece of Jamie Soward brilliance brought the Panthers back within two in the 54th minute as the game looked like descending into an arm wrestle. After shaping to kick down the short side, Soward ran the ball and threw a perfectly-timed offload out to Sika Manu. The big backrower then did well to position Dallin Watene-Zelzniak in the corner.
The Panthers had a chance to go back-to-back just three minutes later however Waqa Blake spilled a Moylan pass with open pastures ahead. Over the next 15 minutes the Panthers gained the ascendancy and forced repeat sets with some increasingly controlled attack.
The Panthers then locked the game up in the 72nd minute with a Moylan penalty after the fullback was hit high near the goal posts.
Moylan was centre stage again soon after, nailing a 39 metre field goal with six minutes left to break the 10-all deadlock and put the Panthers ahead for the first time in the match.
That would be the winning advantage as the Sea Eagles missed two field goal attempts to lock it up in the final minutes.
Penrith outside back George Jennings was forced off on a stretcher in the 67th minute with a broken leg just above the ankle.
Early diagnosis on George Jennings is fractured leg. Ankle and knee appear stable. Hopefully scans tomorrow confirm this. 6 weeks approx
— Phil Gould AM (@Gus10Gould) May 18, 2015
Penrith Panthers 11 (David Simmons, Dallin Watene Zelezniak tries; Matt Moylan goal, field goal) def. Manly Sea Eagles 10 (Brett Stewart 2 tries; Jamie Lyon goal) at Brookvale Oval. Crowd: 8825.
