Coach Geoff Toovey conceded luck had fallen Manly’s way after a last-minute try from Steve Matai gave the Sea Eagles a 22-18 win at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.
On the back of a Nathan Peats try and a Joseph Paulo conversion, the Eels hit the lead for the first time in the match 18-16 with six minutes to go.
But Matai grabbed onto a Cheyse Blair bat-down from a Daly Cherry-Evans kick in the 80th minute to deny Parramatta their first away win in 21 matches.
“It was pleasing to win but I thought the football gods were on our side today,” Toovey said.
“A few (decisions) did go our way but I am talking more about the bounce of the ball, particularly in that last play.
“But you need the skills to perform those things and we were in the match up to our eyeballs.
“We need to do better, but fortunately for us we had a bit of football luck with that last try.”
A 10-4 penalty count went against the Eels also, including 5-1 in the first half.
Eels skipper Jarryd Hayne was livid with the refereeing, especially over a couple of contentious late decisions that he claimed went Manly’s way.
“Some of the decisions out there were disgraceful,” he told Triple M on the field after the game.
“And if I get in trouble for saying that, it is a joke.”
Eels coach Brad Arthur was more diplomatic in the post-game press conference.
“It made it hard for us,” he said.
Manly led 10-0 at halftime after tries to Steve Matai (eighth minute) and Peta Hiku (33rd minute) but Toovey said they should have been further ahead given the way they dominated the contest.
Vai Toutai opened the scoring for the Eels in the 44th minute before Semi Radradra scored twice in 19 minutes to gap Manly’s lead to 16-12 after Jamie Lyon scored a converted try in the 59th minute.
The Eels bounced back well from their 56-4 thrashing at the hands of premiers the Sydney Roosters in round two but captain Tim Mannah said they needed to do more.
“It is gutwrenching, but we don’t want to come to games hoping to get close enough as a team, we want to win games,” he said.
“We almost had it but we couldn’t hold them out, we have to be better next week.
“A lot of things we could have done better, it was frustrating out there but that is footy, you just have to take the cards you are dealt.”
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