[VIDEO] Parramatta Eels vs Penrith Panthers Highlights: NRL scores, blog

Match Result:

Parramatta’s slim finals chances are still alive after a dour 10-4 win over Penrith in Darwin on Saturday night.

PARRAMATTA 10

PENRITH 4

In a game of two halves, Parramatta would be scoreless in the first half, before scoring two tries in the 2nd to record the win.

They now move to 20 points and keep their slim chances of finals alive.

For Penrith tonight destroyed any chance they had of making the finals in 2015.

It also summed up their season.

>>MATCH REPORT: Eels top Penrith in dour affair

They dominated the first half but failed to put it on the scoreboard. They would lead 4-0 where in reality they should have led by 12-20 points.

In the early stages, it was all them, as they had repeated goal line drop outs in the first twenty minutes.

Eventually, after the fourth goal line drop out, the Panthers converted the possession into points as Waqa Blake opened the scoring on 17 minutes.

The Eels, who defended gallantly, made 50 extra tackles and conceded more than 300 extra metres than the Panthers in the first twenty minutes.

Things didn’t get better as Penrith continued the dominance but they couldn’t put it on the scoreboard.

Overall, in the first half, the Panthers had 7 goal line drop outs and 57% possession.

They only led 4-0 and could have been up by just two if Parramatta scored a penalty at the end of the first half.

After a poor first half, the Eels responded in the second, to win the match.

They would reverse the possession as Penrith made mistakes.

In the 44th minute, Parramatta would score through Semi Radradra.

He would score his 18th try of the season.

The next thirty minutes would be deadlocked until Reece Robinson, from dummy half, ran 85 metres past the Penrith defence to score the match winner for the Eels.

It would be a great end to a dull and boring game. It certainly will be a contender for one of the worst games of the season.

The positive in all of this was the crowd. 8,340 fans turned up in Darwin for the match, which is a great effort.

Parramatta now face the Roosters next week with the Panthers facing the Warriors.

Match Preview:

The Parramatta Eels will be looking to complete the double against the Penrith Panthers as the Western Sydney derby heads north to Darwin. Join The Roar for all the action from 7:30pm (AEST).

This is the first time in the history of the Western Sydney derby that the match will not be held in NSW, with Darwin hosting its fourth ever NRL match.

This match – which is part of an agreement between Parramatta and the TIO Stadium – is the second game of four.

Last year over 9000 people turned up to watch Parramatta defeat Canberra.

With both teams on 18 points, a loss will put them three games behind the eight, and with no chance of September action.

The Panthers have won six of the last nine between the two clubs.

The last match though was won by Parramatta, with a double to Semi Radradra giving the Eels a 26-20 win in Round 12.

For Parramatta, Will Hopoate and Brad Takairangi return in the centres with Corey Norman back as five-eighth, while Vai Toutai and Bureta Faraimo are out.

Penrith are missing Robert Jennings, who has been replaced by Apisai Koroisau.

Waqa Blake moves from centre to the wing, with Lewis Brown moving from one centre to the other.

Bryce Cartwright starts, after being on the bench last week, with Koroisau replacing him on the bench.

Prediction:
With Parramatta’s form, and it being Jamie Soward’s 200th game, Penrith should reverse their Round 12 loss.

Penrith by 6.