Wests Magpies have fought back to defeat Parramatta Eels 32-26 in Round 4 of the Knock On Effect NSW Cup at CommBank Stadium.
Match: Eels v Magpies
Round 4 -
home Team
Eels
13th Position
away Team
Magpies
9th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
The Magpies were trailing by 10 points with 18 minutes remaining before running in three unanswered tries in the final 10 minutes of the match.
The visitors opened the scoring after six minutes when Brent Naden sent Josh Feledy crashing through a half gap to score in his first match of the season.
Naden was again involved in the second try of the match from a midfield scrum win, with a neat draw and pass that sent Alex Lobb in to score in the northeast corner, giving the Magpies a 10 nil lead after 13 minutes.
The Eels opened their account in the 26th minute when winger Jake Tago was on the end of a clever backline shift to make it 10-4
Five minutes from half time the home side levelled the score when captain and five-eighth Dejarn Asi crashed his was over from close range to make it 10-all at the break.
The Eels went back-to-back three minutes into the second period when halfback Ethan Sanders split defenders from close range to put his team ahead by six.
Two minutes later the blue and golds were ahead by 12 points when Asi scored his second of the afternoon.
Feledy bagged his second of the day 14 minutes into the second half when he pounced on a neat in-goal grubber from James Valevatu to put his side just six points adrift, down 22-16.
Eels winger Bailey Simonsson then finished of a clever left edge play scoring in the corner to restore a 10 point lead at 26-16, with under 20 minutes to play.
A crashing set up run and quick play-the-ball by Naden allowed replacement booker Bailey Hodges to send prop Reuben Porter crashing over next to the posts to make it a two-point ball game.
With under five minutes on the clock Solomon Alaimalo found himself on the end of a quick left field shift to level the score at 26-all, before Alex Lobb added the extras to give his team a two point buffer.
The Magpies made it three unanswered tries in the final minute when Declan Casey collected an infield kick from Naden – who had a terrific game – to secure the team’s first win of the season.
