A Great Eels Victory

Eels 22 - Roosters 20

The Eels led 22-0 at half-time, but the Roosters were the better team in the second period and late tries from wing/fullback Amos Roberts and centre Ryan Cross gave the visitors hope of snatching an unlikely victory.

The Roosters were hard on attack once more with one minute to play, but referee Sean Hampstead controversially gave the Eels a scrum feed even though replays suggested he should have ruled in favour of the Roosters.

Nathan Hindmarsh again led the way for the Eels, working himself to a standstill in attack and defence despite backing up from the gruelling State of Origin match on Wednesday.
Parramatta second row Chad Robinson, playing against his former club, opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he split the markers from dummy half and dragged stand-in fullback Jamie Soward over the line.

The Eels continued to dominate, playing with a confidence that has been missing for much of 2006, and they led comfortably at the break after posting three tries in the 10 minutes before the interval. Centre Brett Delaney scored the first after fullback Jarryd Hayne batted back a John Morris cross-field kick. Morris, whose kicking and passing constantly pressured the Roosters defence, then finished a brilliant 60-metre movement after interchange Dean Widders had put centre Timana Tahu into space.

Daniel Wagon then extended the advantage just seconds before the break after Roberts and Soward were unable to clean up a pin-point Jeremy Smith kick. Rossters coach Ricky Stuart roasted his players at half-time, but the spray returned almost immediate results; the visitors starting the second stanza with more intensity, and Chris Flannery scored just two minutes in.

Hampstead originally ruled the Queensland utility was brought down short of the try line, but he avoided an embarrassing gaffe by referring the decision to video referee Graeme West.
The Roosters then reduced the deficit to 12 points when Craig Wing finished a spectacular break from boom centre Iosia Soliola, but they were ultimately unable to reel in the Eels.

In a further boost for the Eels, halfback Tim Smith returned to form today in Premier League, named player's player in the Eels' 41-26 win over Newtown.

PARRAMATTA 22 (B Delaney J Morris C Robinson D Wagon tries; B Delaney 3 goals)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 20 (R Cross C Flannery A Roberts C Wing tries; C Fitzgibbon A Roberts goals)Referee: Sean Hampstead.Crowd: 13,044, at Parramatta Stadium. AAP