NRL: Manly beat Roosters to go top of the table

AAP

27 Jun, 2014 07:29 PM2 mins to read

Manly's Brett Stewart makes a break during the match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval in Sydney on Friday. Photo / Getty Images

Manly have moved to the outright lead at the top of the NRL ladder with a 24-16 win over Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval on Friday night.

In a gripping grand-final rematch, a Peta Hiku try in the 78th minute sealed the win for the home side, with Jamie Lyon's conversion putting the Sea Eagles out to an unassailable eight-point lead.

After trailing 10-0 early, the Roosters fought their way back into the contest and should have tied the scores at 18-all in the 68th minute after a Mitchell Pearce try, but James Maloney pushed the very gettable conversion wide.

A desperate Roosters attempted a short drop-out minutes from time, which Manly gathered before Hiku crossed for his second of the night.

Brett Stewart was instrumental in the win, Manly's 10th of the season, before a crowd 17,155, which puts them two points clear of Penrith who travel to Auckland on Sunday to meet the Warriors.

Manly burst out to an early 10-0 lead after 18 minutes following two great sweeping backline plays created tries for Hiku in the 14th minute and Jorge Taufua four minutes later.

In a high-quality game, a Sonny Bill Williams short ball put Shaun Kenny-Dowall over in the 23rd minute.

A converted try to Boyd Cordner from a Mitchell Pearce short ball put the Roosters ahead in the 25th minute after James Maloney's conversion.

A Jamie Lyon penalty goal on the stroke on halftime brought a 12-all scoreline at the break.

A superb set play put Brett Stewart over in the 52nd minute to give Manly an 18-12 lead before a Frank Paul Nuuausala break 12 minutes from fulltime put Pearce in the clear.

The Roosters halfback outsprinted Stewart to score. But Maloney's miss proved costly, the Roosters forced to play catch-up football before Hiku's final try.

Manly interchange forward James Hasson left the field with concussion in the 34th minute and didn't return.