Freakish plays help Manly beat Sharks - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Freakish plays help Manly beat Sharks

Joe Barton 09/04/2011 11:07:21 PM Comments (0)

They're the sort of plays you might see once every 10 games - not twice in 60 seconds.

But Manly needed them both to get home against Cronulla at Toyota Stadium in one of the more unlikely comeback victories that will be seen in the NRL this season.

Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans' match-tying field goal with his wrong foot, and winger Michael Oldfield's incredible try just seconds later typified the team's fighting spirit and impressive young roster.

Cherry-Evans, 22, revealed it was not the first left-footed field goal he had kicked - but admitted he was forced into the manoeuvre because of Cronulla's rushing defence.

"I have once before, in Toyota Cup but it didn't have the game riding on it," he said after the game.

"I just wanted to get it over the posts.

"(I kicked it with my left foot) just because of the pressure they put on my outside, it sort of was the last resort I just had to do it.

"I'm lucky I guess."

Oldfield, 20, said he always felt the bounce of the ball from Jamie Lyon's kick in the dying moments of the game would find his arms for the match-winning try.

The duo combined to produce a similar play last week against South Sydney - with Oldfield charging onto the ball to score on both occasions.

"I just had a feeling it was going to bounce that way," he said.

"That's two weeks in a row it's bounced the exact same way and the same person kicking it ... that probably says something to you. Just a flukey bounce.

"... You could say (that we have a good combination), but at the same time it's just adlib footy.

"That's what those experienced boys are good at and I've just been lucky to get the right bounce and get the win."

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