Manly Sea Eagles win tough match against North Queensland Cowboys

THE Sea Eagles' title defence gathered momentum with a grinding 8-6 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

NORTH Queensland's hopes of a top-four finish suffered a major blow last night as the Sea Eagles' title defence gathered momentum with a grinding 8-6 victory at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

In a gripping, take-no-prisoners affair in Townsville, Manly reprised the defensive ethos that swept them to last year's premiership to send the Cowboys tumbling out of the top four.

Trailing 6-0 at half-time, the Cowboys dominated the second stanza and set-up a thrilling finish when centre Kane Linnett crossed in the 52nd minute to level scores at 6-all.

Gallery: Best action snaps from the game

But the Sea Eagles hung on grimly, adding a 67th minute penalty goal before withstanding a fierce late Cowboys onslaught to emphatically prove their premiership mettle.

The loss was costly for the Cowboys, who dropped to fifth and could finish the weekend as low as seventh if the Broncos beat Canberra and the Sharks overcome the Warriors in Auckland Sunday.

The Cowboys received a boost on match eve with veteran winger Ashley Graham, the side's leading tryscorer this season with 15, cleared to return from an ankle injury.

Both sides entered the clash with major incentive to perform.

The Sea Eagles only trailed the fourth-placed Cowboys on percentages and the defending premiers played with intent from the outset.

It was evident after just six minutes, when winger David Williams produced a superb trysaving tackle on a flying Antonio Winterstein, who was bundled into touch.

And it was patently clear again just two minutes later when Cowboys forward Glenn Hall was smashed on his tryline by Kiwi centre Steve Matai, sending the ball spewing free.

Matthew Scott

Having dominated the early exchanges, the visitors appeared to draw first blood in the 11th minute, NSW Origin hulk Tony Williams winning the race to a clever grubber kick by pivot Kieran Foran.

But video referee Steve Clark controversially flashed the red light, ruling Hall had been taken out by Anthony Watmough, even though the Cowboys back-rower appeared no hope of preventing Williams from scoring.

Watmough vented his fury at the call, but the Sea Eagles got the try they deserved in the 26th minute.

From a scrum win close to the Cowboys line, Foran took the ball at first receiver and stepped Dallas Johnson, whose slip gave the Kiwi Test playmaker a saloon passage to the tryline.

Manly skipper Jamie Lyon landed the simple conversion to get the premiers rolling at 6-0.

By half-time, the Cowboys had completed just 12 of 19 sets, but their defence was gutsy and it kept them within a converted try of the Sea Eagles.

The Sea Eagles suffered a setback after the resumption when rookie prop Darcy Lussick was placed on report for a 44th-minute high shot on Cowboys forward Ashton Sims.

Some outstanding Manly defence denied a flying Matt Bowen within seconds, but the Cowboys were back in business in the 52nd minute.

Bowen put up a towering bomb and when Manly duo David Williams and Daly Cherry-Evans let it bounce, centre Linnett swooped to set-up a pulsating finale as Johnathan Thurston goaled for 6-all.