Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs: NRL live scores, blog

Full Time The Parramatta Eels have won their fourth match for the season with a gritty 14-8 win over their inner western rivals Canterbury. In a match that was light on skill but heavy on entertainment, it was the Bulldogs who started the liveliest, opening the scoring in the 6th minute through centre Kerrod Holland, the conversion giving the visitors an early 6-point lead. However, that would be the only try for the dogs, and while they managed to dominate the play at times, they simply could not turn that into the proper scoreboard pressure needed to win the game. The Eels then worked their way back into the contest, and started to ramp up the pressure at the dog's end of the field. The Eels earned themselves a repeat set, and a one man advantage, when Brett Morris was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul on Bevan French. Curiously, the ever present and always active Henry Perenara referred the matter to the video ref, stating that while he believed it was a no try, he wanted the video ref (a somewhat Freudian Luke Patten) to confirm the opinion. With Morris in the bin, Kaysa Pritchard lost possession two plays later, however would shortly redeem himself when he was over the tryline off an Eels break from their own half. The second half was evenly poised, and alas, the dogs' reputation as second half no-shows preceded them, for while they had their fair share of possession, the Eels simply did not look overly phased, and looked the most likely to score. That try, ultimately the match winner, would come from a 90m dash up the field from Mitchell Moses, as he re-gathered a dogs' grubber and blitzed the field. While the try was somewhat fortunate for the Eels, it was hardly undeserved. The teams would exchange penalty kicks, but the Moses try and conversion was the final difference. And with the final whistle, the Eels fans celebrated in relief, for just the fourth time this season. While the season may be lost, any season when you can garner a win over your local win is still a win that you long remember. The bulldogs meanwhile will lament another wasted solid start, as they try to find a way to turn a sporadic showing into an 80-minute team effort. Eels by 6, and well worth the ticket price.

Full Time 80' - And the doggies cannot make the only play off the scrum work - that is win number 4 for the Eels in season 2018!

80' - Eels with their last two tackles, up around the 40m line, and now Brown is going the Neymar and play acting to waste time. Poor form. Tackle on the halfway, Moses with the deep kick, and it is PERFECT! Just dead, centimetres before the corner post. dogs players race for the scrum and will stop the clock on 12 seconds left.

79' - Last tackle dogs, Marshall King with the kick, Lewis has it, he reaches for it, he is over the line. OH HE'S KNOCKED THAT ON - that poor fella! He's over the line, but he's knocked it on to get there. Dogs might have one more set if they're lucky.

77' - And Gutherson again up to the task of defusing the bomb. He's been enormous for the eels tonight. Eels run it out, up to the 30 on their 4th. Dogs might have one, maybe two sets left? Eels suddenly look exhausted.

76' - Corey Norman with a deep kick to the corner, and the chase from Hayne is solid. Dogs on their 10m line, second tackle down. Great chase eels.

75' - The dogs with a high bomb, the ball is back in dogs' handds, the second kick sees a Morris brother chasing, he tries to keep it in the field of play, but he can only knock it further dead. But it will be a scrum, not a seven tackle set.