Archive for Rugby League Forums  |
| parragirl |
Eels grab golden point win over Tigers
Parramatta Celebrate After Luke Burt Kicks The match winning conversion during golden point:NRL Rugby League - Eels v Tigers, @ Parramatta Stadium. Fri 30th of March 2007 Photo: Grant Trouville ŠAction Photographics Friday, March 30, 2007 - 11:45 PM A Luke Burt penalty goal eight minutes into extra time continued Wests Tigers' golden point misery as Parramatta secured their first win of the NRL season with a 22-20 victory at Parramatta Stadium. Burt slotted over the goal from 40 metres out after Tigers lock Dene Halatau was ruled by referee Steve Clark to have not been square at marker, the Tigers now zero from four in games decided by golden point. For the Eels, it made up for a dubious penalty two minutes before the end of regulation time which allowed the visitors to tie it up at 20-all. The two teams were unable to be separated after the first five minutes of extra time, with Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah missing field goal attempts for the Tigers and Burt for the Eels. But Burt struck when it mattered most to secure Michael Hagan his first win as Eels coach. "Pretty bloody nerve-wracking," Burt said when asked how he felt lining up for the match-winner. "I just had to try and block the crowd out and treat it like any other kick which was pretty hard to do, but it was sweet and I was lucky enough to get the goal." Tigers coach Tim Sheens refused to criticise Clark over the Halatau penalty, preferring to hold back his judgement until he'd seen a replay. "I hope that the whole set, the whole extra time, the markers were square," he said. The frantic finish capped a pulsating second half, the Tigers constantly finding holes in the Eels defence only to be let down by poor last play options. In the end the Tigers paid the ultimate price for a pair of handling blunders in the opening 40 minutes which handed the home side two tries against the run of play, Joel Reddy picking up a Daniel Fitzhenry spill and Tim Smith racing 60 metres after intercepting an errant Farah pass. "I still feel the better side go beaten ... the two passes they picked off in the first half gifted them 12 points, we were always chasing our tail after that," Sheens said. "Although we've got no points after three games, that's disappointing, that's going to put us under a bit of pressure, but if we continue to improve that way and play some good footy, I'm happy that we're going forward." Down 14-12 at the break, the Tigers conceded three straight penalties and lost Halatau to the sin bin after Clark ran out of patience. Former Eel John Morris hit back with a long run downfield only to lose the ball in a try-saving shoulder charge tackle from fullback Luke Burt, Burt saying later "I've never pulled off a hit like that in my life." Looking like they were the ones playing with a one-man advantage, the Tigers again found easy yards up the middle, and it was 12-men all when PJ Marsh took out Marshall before he had received the ball to earn a stint in the bin. Down by two points, the Tigers declined an easy penalty goal attempt, and it backfired when a Tim Smith grubber down the other end of the park put Feleti Mateo over for his first NRL try. For the third time in the half the Tigers carved up the Eels defence and it proved third time lucky, Liam Fulton's bust capitalised on by Marshall, who dummied and dived over from dummy half to make it 20-18 with 16 minutes remaining. Farah and Marshall then combined with a chip kick and flick pass to put the visitors in position to secure the game-tying penalty. Source: AAP http://www.nrl.com.au/Clubs/Eels/...abid/121/NewsId/4381/Default.aspx |