Round 3
Parramatta Eels 24 d. Newcastle Knights 23

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

One point wonders get Eels home in Golden Point thriller
Sat March 29, 2008
Source: www.parraeels.com.au

An extra time field goal to Luke Burt field has handed the Pirtek Parramatta Eels a 24-23 golden point victory over the Newcastle Knights in round three of the Telstra Premiership at Parramatta Stadium.

Burt's strike only came about after skipper Nathan Cayless kept the Eels in the game with a field goal of his own to even it up three minutes from full time.

The dual strikes came at the end of a pulsating match during which both teams had genuine shots at victory.

After a shaky start that saw the Knights cross the stripe only to be called back for a forward pass it was the Eels that would be first on the scoreboard, Jarryd Hayne finding the tryline for the first time in season 2008 six minutes in.

With the Eels attacking the Knights line a Brett Finch kick took a freakish bounce off the legs of a defender before rocketing into the waiting arms of Hayne, who beat the last line of defence with a mean left foot step to score under the posts.

6-nil would soon become 10 with Hayne scoring his second just three minutes later, steaming onto a short ball from Finch to score out wide.

The joy of a boisterous crowd of 15,176 would be silenced on 12 minutes with the Knights crossing for their first, centre Keith Lulia getting on the end of a long cut out ball to score in the corner.

Kurt Gidley's sideline conversion was on song to reduce the Eels lead to four points.

The next scoring play would not come until the half hour and again it would come through the Knights attacking down the Eels right hand side, wing Cooper Vuna touching down just inside the dead ball line to give his side a 12-10 lead.

The home side would only trail for five minutes, with Eric Grothe carrying Gidley over the line to slam it down in the corner for a 14-12 buffer.

Two minutes later the Eels were in again off a fast break from Feleti Mateo, who turned it inside for Finch to score under the posts.

Burt's conversion put the Eels into the break ahead 20 points to 12.

The Knights opened the scoring for the second half an uneventful 17 minutes after the resumption, centre Wes Naiqama grabbing the crumbs of a spilt kick for the corner to touch down for the easiest of tries.

Again Gidley was deadly accurate with the boot, the Eels lead whittled back down to two at 20 points to 18.

Five minutes later the Knights went in again with Lulia scoring his second, however the try went unconverted, leaving the Knights clinging to a two point lead.

Burt removed the gap with a penalty goal from in front 12 minutes from time, while Jarrod Mullen edged the Knights back into the lead with a field goal that bounced off the post before going over in the 74th minute of play.

To the delight of the crowd the match was sent into golden point extra time when Cayless slotted a field goal of his own three minutes later.

The Eels earned back to back sets after the kick off and after three and a half minutes Burt stepped up to slot the winning field goal, making no mistake from 20 metres out.

The win is the Eels second for the season and provides them with a good platform ahead of next week's trip to Townsville to play the Cowboys.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
PIRTEK PARRAMATTA EELS 24
Tries: Jarryd Hayne 2, Eric Grothe, Brett Finch
Goals: Luke Burt 3/5
Field Goals: Nathan Cayless 1, Luke Burt 1

NEWCASTLE 23
Tries: Keith Lulia 2, Cooper Vuna, Wes Naiqama
Goals: Kurt Gidley 3/4
Field Goals: Jarrod Mullen 1

At Parramatta Stadium
Crowd: 15,176
Referee: Tony Archer

EELS V KNIGHTS - AS IT HAPPENED
6th Minute: The Eels score the first try of the night, Jarryd Hayne touching down off a Brett Finch kick. Luke Burt converts. Eels 6-nil.
9th Minute: Hayne goes in for his second off a bullet like Finch pass. Burt's kick is wide. Eels 10-nil.
12th Minute: The Knights go across through centre Keith Lulia. Kurt Gidley converts. Eels 10-6.
30th Minute: Cooper Vuna scores for the Knights. Gidley converts. Knights 12-10.
34th Minute: Eric Grothe gets on the end of some great led up work from Luke Burt and Joel Reddy to touch down in the corner. Burt's conversion attempt is wide. Eels 14-12.
37th Minute: Brett Finch scores under the posts after a great break from Feleti Mateo. Burt converts. Eels 20-12.
Half Time: Eels 20 - Newcastle 12
57th Minute: Wes Naiqama scores off a kick for the Knights. Gidley converts. Eels 20-18.
62nd Minute: Lulia scores his second try of the night to put Newcastle back in front. Gidley's conversion attempt misses. Knights 22-20.
68th Minute: Burt levels it up with a penalty goal from in front. Scores locked at 22-all.
74th Minute: Jarrod Mullen nails a field goal for the Knights. Knights 23-22.
77th Minute: Nathan Cayless replies with a field goal from in front. Scores locked 23-23.
End of Regular Time: Eels 23 - Newcastle 23
84th Minute: Burt calmly slots a field goal from 24 metres to give the Eels the win in golden point extra time. Eels 24-23.
Full Time: Eels 24 - Newcastle 23.

News sent by www.parraeels.com.au


Eels steal Golden Point victory
Fri March 28, 2008
Newcastle last week won a dramatic Golden Point victory, but tonight the scales were turned on the Knights as Parramatta emerged 24-23 victors.

The Knights had every opportunity to win the match with three unforgivable errors in the final moments from Cory Paterson, Richard Faaoso and Keith Lulia proving to be the difference as Luke Burt calmly potted a drop goal from a scrum win to secure victory.

Parramatta started the match in a blaze of glory as Jarryd Hayne scored two early tries for the Eels to lead 10-0 with Burt converting one of the tries.

Newcastle clawed their way back with two tries outwide by Lulia and Cooper Vuna catching Eric Grothe out on both occasions. Kurt Gidley landed two superb conversions to put the visitors up 12-10.

Tries to Grothe and Brett Finch in quick succession nearing the half-time pushed Parramatta's lead to a comfortable 20-12.

The Knights wouldn't give up and plugged away to regain the lead heading into the final 15 minutes with tries to Wes Naiaqama in the 57th minute and Lulia crossed five minutes later.

Burt leveled up the scores with a penalty goal after Jesse Royal was penalised for a high tackle.

Jarrod Mullen was first to break the deadlock in the 74th minute when he landed a well-timed drop-goal and moments later Nathan Cayless out of the blue popped a one pointer over to level up the scores again. Mullen narrowly missed a drop-goal attempt nearing full-time. The Knights had an opportunity from the goal-line dropout to setup for another one pointer, but Paterson completely mucked it up trying to be a hero rather than settle for Mullen, Gidley or last week's hero Luke Durreau to take the shot next tackle, which time still permitted for.

Extra time saw two more comical errors added by the Knights when Faaoso dropped the ball cold in possession and than Lulia dropped an absolute sitter. Newcastle handed the Eels three gifts on a platter and Burt nailed it into the Knights coffin.

Newcastle have been competitive in the opening three rounds, but really should not have thrown away tonight's clash.

Parramatta will be happy to get away with the two points and maintain their topsy turvy start to the season. The Eels had to dig deep with halfback Tim Smith producing one of the most disappointing halfback performances in a long-time as he returned to the top flight after a controversial off season plauged by injury and off field turmoil.

Meanwhile, the Eels have kept their undefeated Toyota Cup record alive, defeating Newcastle 18-10. For the third time in succession Parramatta fought back from an early deficit to record what turned out a comfortable victory, the Knights joining the Bulldogs and Warriors as scalps for 2008.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP (NRL)
PARRAMATTA EELS 24
Tries: Jarryd Hayne 2, Eric Grothe, Brett Finch
Goals: Luke Burt 3/5
Drop Goals: Nathan Cayless, Luke Burt
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 23
Tries: Keith Lulia 2, Cooper Vuna, Wes Naiqama
Goals: Kurt Gidley 3/4
Drop Goals: Jarrod Mullen

TOYOTA CUP (NYC)
PARRAMATTA EELS 18
Tries: Daniel Mortimer, Taputoa Rea, Mase Laulu Togagae
Goals: Tony Williams 3/3
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 10
Tries: Jason Schirnack, Byron Fruean
Goals: Marty Paulson 1/2

Venue: Parramatta Stadium
Crowd: 15,176

Tue March 25, 2008
• Tim Smith wins call up for Knights clash
  

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