League: Jones ensures fairytale Warriors finish

Warriors 22 Manly 20

Stacey Jones orchestrated a winning National Rugby League (NRL) farewell, scoring with three minutes to play to give the New Zealand Warriors a tense 22-10 victory over Manly at Brookvale Oval in Sydney last night.

Jones, who was denied three tries against Newcastle last weekend -- and was held up in the 16th minute by Chris Hicks when he looked certain to score -- beat Manly veteran Steve Menzies from close range to score handy to the posts from the Warriors' only genuine attacking move of the second spell.

The playmaker missed the conversion but the Warriors clung on to break a four-match losing streak, Jones having the final say when he kicked the ball into the crowd after the final siren.

The Warriors looked to have the game under control when leading 18-6 on the brink of halftime but conceded tries to Paul Stephenson, Ben Kennedy and Hicks, to surrender their advantage with 16 minutes remaining.

Kennedy, the only player to emerge with any credit after last Sunday's 6-68 capitulation to Cronulla, was a constant menace but was concussed when attempting to tackle Brent Webb in the 71st minute, robbing the Sea Eagles of their most influential player for the frantic final stanza.

Manly's failure to lock down the eighth and final play-off spot means they must beat Canberra away next weekend to make the post-season.

Kennedy scored in the third minute to open the scoring but the Warriors dominated the remainder of the half with Sione Faumuina, Ruben Wiki and Wairangi Koopu crossing.

However when Stephenson collected a Michael Monaghan cross field kick in the 38th minute, the complexion of the contest changed.

The Sea Eagles gained the ascendancy after halftime as the Warriors were hamstrung by poor ball security deep in their territory.

They finally paid for their tardiness when Kennedy crashed over despite the attention of four defenders, to bring the Sea Eagles within two points at 18-16.

Hicks then gave the home side the lead when he squeezed over out wide but Jones, in his 238th game for the club, fittingly had the final say.

* SCORING

New Zealand Warriors 22 (Sione Faumuina, Ruben Wiki, Wairangi Koopu, Stacey Jones tries; Jones 3 goals)

Manly 20 (Ben Kennedy 2, Paul Stephenson, Chris Hicks tries; Luke Williamson 2 goals)

Halftime: 18-10

Crowd: 14,219.

- NZPA