Mitchell Pearce rues missed chance in Roosters loss to Manly

MITCHELL Pearce had a fine game against the Sea Eagles but the play he couldn’t make is the one that will haunt him.

Mitchell Pearce of the Roosters reacts after missing a field goal during the Round 5 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Friday, March 31, 2017. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

MITCHELL Pearce was the first person to admit he was disappointed to botch the potential winning field goal.

Pearce had charged to the line and somehow wriggled his way past Manly trio Marty Taupau, Jake Trbojevic and Frank Winterstein to score and make the scores level ten minutes out from full time.

The Roosters marched up field again with all the momentum, Pearce had his first field goal charged down, then less than a minute later watched his second attempt sail to the right.

It was a big moment that went begging.

Pearce had a golden chance to win the game.

Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston are paid the big bucks and notorious for slotting field goals with the game on the line.

How many times have they done it at club level and for those dreaded Maroons?

So as the Pearce Origin debate begins to heat up, plenty of fans watching last night will no doubt debate — again — the merits of Pearce on the big stage when bigger games are on the line.

It’s unfair, but so are house prices in Roosters heartland.

“It was disappointing not to hit that field goal,’’ Pearce told The Saturday Telegraph.

“It could have gone to golden point with a few less errors and some smarter footy, but I thought we still dug ourselves back into the game when we weren’t at our best, but too many errors cost us.

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“I thought we were ‘off’, we weren’t winning the fight. We’ve been consistent the last four weeks, but I felt like from the start tonight we weren’t at our best.

“It’s still a good start to year, but those games hurt, especially when you get into a position to win on you’re home turf.’’

Pearce has flown out of the blocks the opening month, and looks seriously happy playing along side little mate Luke Keary.

He has done his best to ignore the Origin hype since day one of pre-season training, and was not about to change his tune after five NRL rounds.

Pearce was strong throughout the match but failed to hit the game-winner.

“I’m used to it, I’m happy with where I’m at, I’m playing good footy, but I don’t listen to all the white noise,’’ Pearce said.

“I’m having fun with my footy, I love my life, I’ll see what happens and just enjoy every moment.’’

The Roosters did particularly well upfront without Dylan Napa, who broke down with an ankle injury midway through the first half. A medical arrived too late because the keys could not be located.

He will be missed next Thursday at Suncorp Stadium against the Broncos, the club who desperately wanted him.

“It’s just an ankle sprain, but we’re not sure how bad it is, it’s not the end of the world, but not good either,’’ coach Trent Robinson said.

“It’s disappointing to lose our first game, especially in a game where it was there to be taken.’’