Sunday, May 02, 2004
Parra goes down again at home
Despite a determined comeback, Parramatta has failed to peg back the North Queensland Cowboys losing 24 to 20 at Parramatta Stadium tonight.
Parramatta's Brian Smith pulled a surprise reign early starting with Chris Thorman at hooker, instead of John Morris and although Thorman's first shot at the NRL was promising it didn't help the Eels who were easily outpointed in the first half and went to the break down 20 to nil.
Parramatta turned the ball over early and the subsequent set of six saw North Queensland kick the ball high and wide. A scramble for the ball saw Travis Norton pick the ball and score with Josh Hannay convering to make it six nil.
As has so often happened this year, Parramatta found themselves short out wide after a player rushed up out of the line - this time it was Luke Burt - and the Cowbody scored again. Another try, two conversions and a penalty later, and the Eels were almost out of the game before the half time break.
However, the Eels came out in the second half far more enthusiastic. Adam Dykes took a quick tap near the line and dived over to give Parramatta a glimpse of perhaps another comeback victory against the Cowboys.
Then John Morris slipped down the sideline only five minutes later, brushed past a poor attempted tackle from Matt Bowman and suddenly the Eels were in again.
By the time, Nathan Hindmarsh - who again had a wonderful game - steamed onto a ball inside the twenty and crashed over, an Eels win was looking more than likely.
However in the end if was a soft defensive lapse, with Adam Peak and Dean Widders splitting too quickly at marker and letting Travis Norton bag a double when he stretched out and touched down from dummy half that would prove to the nail in Parramatta's coffin.
Despite being eight down with only ten to go, the Eels drawing on memories of their past stirring last gasp victories against the Cowboys at home, didn't give up the cause. On the last tackled, Parra kept the ball alive before Adam Dykes got the ball and seeing Grothe out wide on his lonesome chipped the ball wide. Grothe set sail for the ball and as it sailed into the in-goal he dived forward caught the ball and place it down for one of the year's most spectacular tries.
That left the Eels only five minutes to try and grab the match-winning try and it was unfortunate that a good piece of Parramatta play would seal the game. With the Cowboys still in their half on the last, Parramatta players attempted a charge down but the ball only deflected down to a Cowboys player. With that turn of luck, the Cowboys were able to keep the Eels pinned deep in their territory and the subsequent desperation plays turned to nothing.
The match was a fiery affair, refereed by young official Jason Robinson. Robinson had a running battle with captain Nathan Cayless and there was a string of niggly incidents between both teams that threatened to erupt into an all-in brawl. One of those incidents saw Robinson sent Craig Stapleton and Paul Rauhihi to the bin for ten minutes - Stapleton for dropping a fore arm onto the tackled player and Rauhihi for striking out after he took exception to the blow.
Cayless is almost certain to front the judiciary and looks likely to have a couple of games on the sideline after a high-tackle saw Josh Hanny stretchered from the field.
Parramatta's Brian Smith pulled a surprise reign early starting with Chris Thorman at hooker, instead of John Morris and although Thorman's first shot at the NRL was promising it didn't help the Eels who were easily outpointed in the first half and went to the break down 20 to nil.
Parramatta turned the ball over early and the subsequent set of six saw North Queensland kick the ball high and wide. A scramble for the ball saw Travis Norton pick the ball and score with Josh Hannay convering to make it six nil.
As has so often happened this year, Parramatta found themselves short out wide after a player rushed up out of the line - this time it was Luke Burt - and the Cowbody scored again. Another try, two conversions and a penalty later, and the Eels were almost out of the game before the half time break.
However, the Eels came out in the second half far more enthusiastic. Adam Dykes took a quick tap near the line and dived over to give Parramatta a glimpse of perhaps another comeback victory against the Cowboys.
Then John Morris slipped down the sideline only five minutes later, brushed past a poor attempted tackle from Matt Bowman and suddenly the Eels were in again.
By the time, Nathan Hindmarsh - who again had a wonderful game - steamed onto a ball inside the twenty and crashed over, an Eels win was looking more than likely.
However in the end if was a soft defensive lapse, with Adam Peak and Dean Widders splitting too quickly at marker and letting Travis Norton bag a double when he stretched out and touched down from dummy half that would prove to the nail in Parramatta's coffin.
Despite being eight down with only ten to go, the Eels drawing on memories of their past stirring last gasp victories against the Cowboys at home, didn't give up the cause. On the last tackled, Parra kept the ball alive before Adam Dykes got the ball and seeing Grothe out wide on his lonesome chipped the ball wide. Grothe set sail for the ball and as it sailed into the in-goal he dived forward caught the ball and place it down for one of the year's most spectacular tries.
That left the Eels only five minutes to try and grab the match-winning try and it was unfortunate that a good piece of Parramatta play would seal the game. With the Cowboys still in their half on the last, Parramatta players attempted a charge down but the ball only deflected down to a Cowboys player. With that turn of luck, the Cowboys were able to keep the Eels pinned deep in their territory and the subsequent desperation plays turned to nothing.
The match was a fiery affair, refereed by young official Jason Robinson. Robinson had a running battle with captain Nathan Cayless and there was a string of niggly incidents between both teams that threatened to erupt into an all-in brawl. One of those incidents saw Robinson sent Craig Stapleton and Paul Rauhihi to the bin for ten minutes - Stapleton for dropping a fore arm onto the tackled player and Rauhihi for striking out after he took exception to the blow.
Cayless is almost certain to front the judiciary and looks likely to have a couple of games on the sideline after a high-tackle saw Josh Hanny stretchered from the field.
