30/05/2008 10:38 PM
Manly has recorded a courageous 31-18 victory over Canberra after playing a man short for 49 minutes at Canberra Stadium.
Interchange forward Adam Cuthbertson was sent off after a sickening high shot on Troy Thompson nine minute before half-time.
Referee Sean Hampstead was left with little choice but to dismiss Cuthbertson, telling the Manly cult hero: "You've hit him high, you're off."
The Sea Eagles led 10-0 at the time but, despite playing with 12 men for more than half the game, resisted a second half comeback from Canberra to claim a memorable win on the road.
Manly was in front seven minutes in when winger Michael Robertson, who will represent Scotland in this year's World Cup, scrambled over the line for a 4-0 lead.
The Sea Eagles crossed again midway through the half when Matt Orford's cross-field kick was dropped by Adrian Purtell and Matt Ballin picked up the scraps to score.
Orford's conversion made it 10-0 and he added two points from a penalty shortly before the interval to push Manly further ahead.
The Raiders began the second half impatiently, pushing the pass and taking the wrong option as they tried to make the most of their one man advantage.
Instead it was the under-manned Sea Eagles who were the first to score after the resumption, hard-running back-rower Anthony Watmough pouring through a gaping hole to touch down under the posts.
The visitors thought they'd wrapped the game up shortly after when winger David Williams collected a Terry Campese kick and ran 40m to score.
But after going upstairs to the video referee, the try was disallowed after it was ruled Jamie Lyon had interfered with the Canberra defence.
From the next set of six Canberra went up the other end and posted its first try through Colin Best.
Todd Carney's sideline conversion left the Green Machine trailing 18-6.
The Raiders' revival gathered further momentum when Carney chip kicked and the loose ball was cleaned up by Trevor Thurling, who found Carney backing up.
The try-scorer added the extras and it was back to a six-point ball game at 18-12.
But a try to Steve Matai, who wrong-footed the Canberra defence close to the line, 12 minutes from full-time stopped the comeback dead in its tracks.
Orford added a field goal before veteran Steve Menzies toed a loose ball into the in-goal for Manly's fifth try five minutes from the end
Thurling scored a consolation try in the dying moments.
Canberra 18
Tries: Best, Carney, Thurling
Goals: Carney 3
Manly 31
Tries: Robertson, Ballin, Watmough, Matai, Menzies
Goals: Orford 5
Field Goal: Orford
Sportal Player of the Year
3 - Matt Orford (Sea Eagles)
2 - Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles)
1 - Steve Matai (Sea Eagles)