Eels 24 - Knights 30 - Full Time in Toyota Cup
Ross Smart
Pirtek Parramatta Eels Media
Sunday, June 07, 2009
The Newcastle Knights have held on to defeat the Pirtek Parramatta Eels in the Toyota Cup, scoring five tries to four on the way to a 30-24 victory at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
The Eels struck first with Albert Kelly scoring in the fourth minute, Nathan Gardner’s conversion making it 6-nil to the visitors.
However the Knights wasted no time striking back, halfback Theeran Pearson scoring a dubious four pointer off what appeared to be a pair of forward passes.
Ryan Stig converted the Pearson try and added a penalty goal to put the Knights out to an 8-6 lead midway through the first half.
Stig then scored himself to stretch the Knights lead to a converted try, the five eighth jinking his way through the Eels defence to score wide out.
Trailing 12-6 the Eels got a morale boosting try shortly before the break to level it up, Dan Cross splitting the defence from dummy half before handing Gardner an uninterrupted run to score under the posts.
The winger converted to see a 12-all half time score.
The Knights continued to dominate field position to open the second half and they were able to convert pressure into points through a converted try to replacement Ben Wyborn.
However the Eels counter punched yet again, Anthony Mitchell stretching out to score to level things up again at 18-all.
Repeat sets on the Knights line allowed the Eels to re-take the lead through a Gardner penalty goal, but the joy would last only minutes as the Knights again found the try line, this time through prop Josh Ailaomai.
Chris Marlborough was successful again with the conversion, seeing the Knights ahead 24-20 with 15 minutes left to play.
A Con Mika try with 10 minutes to go put the Knights in a commanding position at 30-20 and not even a determined Royce Hura try two minutes out from full time could inspire the Eels in the finish, the Knights going on to record a 30-24 victory.
TOYOTA CUP
Newcastle Knights 30 (Theeran Pearson, Ryan Stig, Ben Wyborn, Josh Aliaomai, Con Mika tries; Ryan Stig 2 goals from 3 attempts; Chris Marlborough 3 goals from 3 attempts)
defeated the Pirtek Parramatta Eels 24 (Albert Kelly, Nathan Gardner, Anthony Mitchell, Royce Hura tries; Nathan Gardner 4 goals from 5 attempts)
At EnergyAustralia Stadium.
http://www.parraeels.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=17172
