The Dyldam Parramatta Eels Holden Cup side has been defeated by the Gold Coast Titans 52-10 despite a brave effort throughout the 80 minutes.
In front of a small but vocal crowd at Pizzey Park, the Eels were outclassed by the Titans in Round 20 of the Under 20s competition.
After trading sets for the opening ten minutes, the Eels were first to cross the line, after a line break and offload from Denzal Tonise landing in the hands of fullback Mason Cerruto, with Michael Doolan adding the extras.
But the Titans stepped up, with 30 unanswered points to take a 30-6 lead into halftime.
Prop Nathan Watts crashed over from dummy-half early with a strong individual effort.
Back to back penalties to the Titans saw centre Brian Kelly score the first of two tries for the half, with a strong attacking set finding a gap on the home side’s left edge.
The Titans weren’t short of some good luck - with a one-on-one strip from halfback Josh Ralph ending in a 50-metre try effort right under the posts in the 27th minute.
Gold Coast continued to press in attack, with Kelly finding an overlap on their left side, scoring his second.
The Eels’ remained positive in attack with some unlucky fifth-tackle kicks bouncing away and handling errors short of the line stopped a pair of likely tries.
Halfback Troy Dragon’s fifth tackle grubber in the 33rd minute was collected by the Titans, with an offload landing in Tyronne Roberts-Davis’s hands, who ran the length of the field to score.
Roberts-Davis was also on the money with conversions in the first half, nailing five from five to see the home side walk into the sheds at half-time leading 30-6.
The Titans continued their dominance in the second half, with hooker Jordan Scott adding to their try tally, crashing over the line from dummy half in the 53rd minute.
Fullback AJ Brimson added a try to his name moments later, strolling out wide and planting the ball over the white line.
The Eels battled bravely, with centre Dane Aukafolau scoring in the left corner after backing himself to the try line in the 61st minute.
Michael Doolan’s conversion attempt from the sideline was just wide.
Titans lock Apiata Noema-Matenga made a huge personal effort to beat his way through five Eels’ defenders to score.
In the final minute, centre Brian Kelly completed his hat-trick, putting the home side at 52-10.
Roberts-Davis was a standout with the boot, kicking eight from nine conversions for the Gold Coast, nailing all but the final attempt from the sideline.
Gold Coast Titans 52 (Kelly 3, Watts, Ralph, Roberts-Davis, Scott, Brimson, Noema-Matenga tries, Roberts-Davis 8 goals)
def.
Parramatta Eels 10 (Cerruto, Aukafolau tries, Doolan 1 goal)
