© Action Photographics

Daniel Mortimer on the attack

The Pirtek Parramatta Eels have lost to the Wests Tigers by 23 points to 6 in their round 14 Monday Night Football clash at Parramatta Stadium.

Benji Marshall had a hand in all four of his side’s tries as the Tigers proved too strong for the Eels in the second forty, the match having been locked at 6-all at the break.

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The Eels started strongly and were unlucky not to open their account after five minutes, the ball knocked from the hands of Nathan Cayless over the line.

© Action Photographics

Robbie Farah proved to be the Eels nemesis late in the game.

The Tigers, who had lost fullback Tim Moltzen to an elbow injury in the warm up, regained their composure to score the first try of the match in a largely dour first half of football.

After dominating the early running the Eels suddenly found themselves down 6-nil when Dene Halatau scored off a Benji Marshall kick that took a deflection off the hand of Joel Reddy.

It was then the turn of the Tigers to have one ruled no try by the video ref, Taniela Tuiaki knocking on after chasing through a Marshall kick into the in goal.

Luke Burt got the Eels on the board ten minutes out from half time when he scored a determined solo try from 20 metres out, beating two tackles before touching down with Tigers giant Daine Laurie on his back.

Referee Sean Hampstead awarded the try and Burt’s conversion locked it up at 6-all.

The Tigers broke the deadlock in the 14th minute of the second half when Marshall put Willie Mataka into a gap, the replacement barrelling over for his first try in First Grade and a 12-6 lead.

Robbie Farah added a field goal with 13 minutes remaining to stretch his sides lead out past a converted try, and then scooped up a Marshall kick into the in goal to score and put the result beyond doubt with a little over five minutes left to play.

If the Farah try sent swathes of the 12,003-strong crowd heading for the exits, a Tuiaki touch down in the left hand corner two minutes later finished them off, the score finishing at 23-6.

The Eels have the bye in round 15, their next clash against the Brisbane Broncos at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday week.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
Wests Tigers 23 (Dene Halatau, Willie Mataka, Robbie Farah, Taniela Tuiaki tries; Benji Marshall 3 goals from 4 attempts; Robbie Farah field goal) defeated the Pirtek Parramatta Eels 6 (Luke Burt try, 1 goal from 1 attempt) At Parramatta Stadium. Half Time: 6-all Crowd: 12,003

Eels Kick Themselves After Loss to Tigers

The Pirtek Parramatta Eels lost to the Wests Tigers by 24 points to 18 in an error ridden and at times spiteful Toyota Cup clash at Parramatta Stadium.

The Eels led at one point in the first half and trailed by just two at the break, only for two tries in three minutes early in the second forty to shut them down.

Kicking was the difference in the finish, with Jake Mullaney finishing with four from four while Nathan Gardner could only manage one from his four attempts.

Mullaney and Tigers second rower Jason Schirnack shared the honours for the victors with 12 points each, Schirnack crossing for three tries while Mullaney scored one in addition to his four conversions.

The Tigers took advantage of a wobbly start from the Eels to claim an early lead through a converted try to Schirnack. But by the tenth minute the Eels had regained composure with Brad Graham touching down wide out to narrow the Tigers lead to 6-4.

Gardner then scored and converted to put the Eels into the lead at 10 points to six, however by the end of the half the Tigers had reclaimed the ascendency with Schirnack scoring again.

Mullaney converted both Tigers tries to make it 12-10 at the break.

Flimsy defence on the fringes coupled with some outstanding offloading from five eighth Robert Lui produced two tries in three minutes for the Tigers after the resumption, Mullaney scoring the first and Schirnack the second for a 24-10 lead with half an hour left to play.

The Eels put themselves back in contention with a well worked try to Graham 12 minutes out from full time, however Gardner was unable to add the extras, leaving the home side trailing by 10 points.

Gardner narrowed the buffer to six with his second try of the evening three minutes from time, but again missed with the conversion, allowing the Tigers claim a 24-18 victory.

TOYOTA CUP
Wests Tigers 24 (Jason Schirnack 3, Jake Mullaney tries; Mullaney 4 goals from 4 attempts) defeated the Pirtek Parramatta Eels 18 (Brad Graham 2, Nathan Gardner 2 tries; Nathan Gardner 1 goal from 4 attempts) At Parramatta Stadium