Manly denied a famous come-from-behind victory at Brookevale Oval.
The Canterbury Bulldogs are back on the NRL premiership radar after securing a heart-stopping 32-30 victory against the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookevale Oval.
After leading by as much as 18 points with just 13 minutes left in the game, Manly staged a dramatic comeback to force the game into golden-point.
Daly Cherry-Evans bagged two tries before Steve Matai scored with less than two minutes remaining to see Jamie Lyon kick to square the scores up at 30-all.
The Manly veteran showed he had ice water running through his veins as he potted the shot from the sideline to send the game into extra time.
Cherry Evans had an early shot for a field goal off the back of an error by the Bulldogs, but he sent it wide.
The Sea Eagles then committed their own crime when they were guilty of holding down a player in the tackle too long, with the Bulldogs’ task of slotting the shot for goal becoming easier when Kieran Foran was marched 10 metres for questioning the decision.
Former Sea Eagle Trent Hodgkinson then came back to haunt his side as he slotted the goal, sparking wild celebrations from his teammates.
The win is the Bulldogs seventh out of their last eight game as they rise to sixth on the ladder at around the half-way mark in the NRL season.
For Manly, the loss signals they are in the middle of a mini-slump despite still sitting in fourth place on the table, only earned a win in their last five games.
The powerful Bulldogs pack was well led by Englishman James Graham, who made numerous surging runs.
In the backs, Ben Barba, Hodkinson and five-eighth Josh Reynolds were prominent.
Barba made it six tries from four games at Brookvale with a double, while Hodkinson set up the first three tries with two kicks and a pass.
Manly’s representative forward Anthony Watmough left the field in the second half with a cork.
Canterbury will be out to earn their fifth win-in-a-row when they take on the Sydney Roosters next weekend, in what looms as one of the games of the round.
Manly have the benefit of a bye next weekend before they try and get their season back on track when they clash with the Roosters.
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