A composed Dyldam Parramatta Eels Holden Cup side has earned their third consecutive win, defeated the Wests Tigers 20-18 in Round 17 at ANZ Stadium.
The Tigers put some early pressure on the Eels’ defence, with a knock-on from Abbas Miski leading to Obed Karwhin scoring for the home side on their right edge, with an unsuccessful conversion.
The half was mostly scrappy with back and forth play, and both teams almost scored on a number of occasions but weren’t able to finish it off.
After thirty minutes Dylan Izzard was on the receiving end of an offload, ending the scoring drought to with a try just to the left of the posts.
Halfback Zach Dockar-Clay kicked the conversion from right in front to nudge the Eels in front.
Three minute later new Eels signing Mason Cerruto scored against his former club, crashing over after a right short-side play.
Dockar-Clay missed the conversion from the right sideline.
The half was all but over but with a few seconds to go, Wests Tigers centre Watson Heleta scored a try out side, with another unsuccessful conversion.
The Eels were ahead 10-8 at the half-time break.
The Wests Tigers started the second half strongly, with centre Jayden Wheelhouse scoring with a conversion slotted from Veiru Mapesone to put the home side in front.
But the Eels kept with them, mixing up their attacking options to see Atini Gafa take a high bomb and score near the posts to equalise.
Dockar-Clay scored the conversion to take back the lead with twenty minutes remaining.
Gafa scored a second try for the night, crashing over on the right wing to extend the Eels’ lead to six points.
With eight minutes remaining, the Tigers looked dangerous with a try to Lamar Liolevave, but an unsuccessful conversion kept the Eels in front.
The Blue and Gold held their composure in the final minutes to hold on to get the victory.
Parramatta Eels 20 (Gafa 2, Izzard, Cerruto tries, Dockar-Clay 2 goals)
def.
Wests Tigers 18 (Karwhin, Heleta, Wheelhouse, Liolevave tries, Mapesone 1 goal)
