Sharks weather the Parramatta fight back

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks have withheld a late Parramatta Eels fightback to run out winners at Pirtek Stadium this afternoon 35-28.

The Eels were first to cross the line, but the try was not awarded, after the video referee ruled a knock on aganst Tepai Moeroa in the fifth minute.

It was the Sharks who scored first points only two minutes later, after a beautiful set play saw Sosaia Feki cross in the corner, after a piggy-back penalty from the Eels.

The Sharks got their second ten minutes later, after a brilliant Wade Graham inside ball saw Ricky Leutele score after a line break. Gordon added the extras, and the Eels led by 12.

Parramatta scored next, with a Corey Norman kick into the sun eventually landing in David Gower's arms. He offloaded to Ryan Morgan to score on the left edge.

Luke Lewis grabbed a try in the 23rd minute, before the Eels scored again from a kick a few minutes later to keep themselves in the hunt, but a late try against the run of play to Jayson Bukuya let the Sharks go to the break leading by 10.

The Eels looked to come out strongly after half time, and were first to score through Daniel Alvaro in the 48th minute. A penalty goal to Michael Gordon in the 55th minute put the fight back on the back burner, but a try to Reece Robinson and then one to Isaac De Gois in the 68th minute saw the Eels take the lead.

But in the end the Sharks were too strong. Sosaia Feki scored in the 70th minute, and the resultant conversion from Michael Gordon pulled the Sharks level, before a Valentine Holmes field goal and late Michael Ennis try took the game away from the Eels.

Next week the Sharks can consolidate fourth position with a win over Manly at Remondis Stadium, while Parramatta wind down for the year with a clash against the equally out-of-contention Canberra Raiders at home. Both games take place next Sunday afternoon.

Match Details

Parramatta Eels 28 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 35
Venue: Pirtek Stadium
Crowd: 13007
Halftime Score: Parramatta Eels 10 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 20

PARRAMATTA EELS (28)
Tries: Ryan Morgan, Semi Radradra, Daniel Alvaro, Reece Robinson, Isaac De Gois
Conversions: Luke Kelly (4/5)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (35)
Tries: Sosaia Feki (2), Ricky Leutele, Luke Lewis, Jayson Bukuya, Michael Ennis
Field Goals: Valentine Holmes (1/1)
Conversions: Michael Gordon (4/6)
Penalty Goals: Michael Gordon (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Sosaia Feki
2 points - Michael Gordon
1 point - Wade Graham

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Pirtek Stadium in Parramatta this afternoon for the clash between the Eels and the Sharks.

Both sides have made a single change from their teams named on Tuesday afternoon. For the Eels, Darcy Lussick moves into the starting side at lock, with David Gower moving to the interchange bench. The Sharks have Anthony Tupou dropping off the interchange bench, with Blake Ayshford taking his spot.

We're underway here at Pirtek. The Eels get first use of the football, and kick from the halfway line. A strong start.

4: We have the first penalty of the game against Luke Lewis, offside at the play the ball. The Eels are only 20 metres from the try line early in the tackle count.

4: A quick play the ball and De Gois goes himself, being stopped just short.

5: We're just going to the video referee for a possible try to the Eels. Moeroa runs through on a Luke Kelly kick, but gets a poor bounce and knocks the ball on over the line.

5: NO TRY - it's a knock on, and now Parramatta have given away a penalty.

7: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Sosaia Feki. Kick to come.
And the Sharks have made them pay. A lovely set play from the Sharks sees Sosaia Feki cross in the corner, but it was all on the back of a 20m restart and a penalty from the Eels.

7: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon lines up the conversion, hits in the inside of the upright, and it bounces between the posts. The Sharks take an early 6 point lead.

12: The Eels looking rattled early on - their defence a little bit lost, and giving away a few penalties.

As I speak, Sutton cops a bit of a spray from the Eels, and marches the Sharks another 10 metres down field.

14: Manu Ma'u is leaving the field for the Eels. He's looked to be struggling for a while, and has finally gone to get some attention. The Eels are battling to even get out of their own end at the moment - the last 3 sets they haven't even got into the opposition half.

16: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Ricky Leutele. Kick to come.
Some great football there leads to the Sharks' second try. Wade Graham throws a brilliant inside ball, and some lazy defence from Moeroa sees Gordon go straight through. He passes to Leutele, and the Sharks get the second.

16: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon adds the extras.

18: And now Graham has gone straight through another gap and thrown a long pass to the winger for a possible try. We're just going to the video referee for a possible knock on.

19: It's NO TRY. The video referee has ruled a knock on.

20: We're going to the video referee again! This time, it's a possible try to the Eels. We're just looking at the grounding, but it looks like a Corey Norman kick for the left edge looks to have proved fruitful.

20: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Ryan Morgan. Kick to come.
And it's a TRY! Norman's kick for the sideline finds David Gower, who manages an offload to Ryan Morgan. Morgan dives over the line, and the Eels have hit back.

20: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Luke Kelly successful.
Kelly converts the try, and the Eels are within 6.

23: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Luke Lewis. Kick to come.
At the other end of the field Luke Lewis gets his 11th try of the season. The Sharks play the ball 1 metre out from the Eels' line, and Michael Ennis puts Luke Lewis one-on-one with Corey Norman. It's no contest, and Lewis crashes over the line.

25: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Gordon hooks the conversion attempt off to the left.

26: Graham kicks downfield but it goes straight down Faraimo's throat.

28: We're checking with the video referee once again! The Eels run 50 metres on that set, before Norman kicks high for Gordon. Gordon has a miss at the ball, and it eventually finds itself in the hands of Radradra, who scampers for the line. We're just checking on the contest after the kick.

28: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Semi Radradra. Kick to come.
It's a TRY! Gallen comes over to complain about the grounding, but it's too late. Radradra gets his 22nd for the year.

28: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Luke Kelly unsuccessful.
Kelly misses the conversion from the sideline.

32: A late offload from the Eels sees them effectively gain an extra tackle coming out of their own line.

32: Unfortunately they ruin it two plays later, losing the ball in the tackle and gifting it to Paul Gallen.

34: The Sharks kick high on the last, but Radradra does well under the high ball. The Eels then get helped out of their end thanks to some offline Sharks players.

35: Momentum starts to be swinging the way of the Eels in the last few minutes. They're making metres off almost every tackle.

35: But now they've lost the ball. Robson scoops it up and offloads to Gordon, who sprints down field, being dragged down just inside the Eels' half.

36: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Jayson Bukuya. Kick to come.
And Bukuya scores. That one will sting the Eels, as the Sharks run 90 metres in one set to see Bukuya fight his way to the line. The Sharks give themselves a bit of breathing space coming into the break.

37: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Gordon attempts the conversion from just right of the posts. He hits the right upright, but the Sharks lead by 10.

40: The Sharks run the ball down the left sideline with only 30 seconds left, but they're pushed out over the sideline and that's half time. The Sharks go to the break with a handy 10 point lead, but the Eels have definitely picked themselves up after a lackluster start to the game.

41: Back underway in the second half. The Eels have a ten point deficit to overcome if they are to make this game a contest.

41: The Sharks have made an early mistake, knocking the ball on during their first set of the game.

43: Tepai Moeroa and Ricky Leutele have just come together in a strong tackle and clashed heads, and both are on the ground obviously concussed.

43: Ricky Leutele leaves the field, just as Tepai Moeroa gets to his feet and heads to the sideline as well.

43: The Sharks have had two sets since the start of this half, and have failed to complete both of them.

44: On tackle three, Ryan Morgan sprints for the left corner, but is held up in goal. The Eels take the ball back ten metres to try again.

45: On the last, Isaac De Gois fumbles the ball at dummy half, and the Sharks breathe a sigh of relief.

46: Faraimo and Reece Robinson look like they'll bump into each other trying to catch the Corey Norman bomb, but manage to take it cleanly.

48: We're checking with the video referee yet again for a possible try to Daniel Alvaro, and we're just checking if it's a double movement. To my eyes, it looks like Jayson Bukuya has knocked himself out making the tackle, and Alvaro is entitled to keep running.

48: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Daniel Alvaro. Kick to come.
And it's a TRY! Daniel Alvaro has scored his first NRL try!

49: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Luke Kelly successful.
Kelly lands the conversion, and the Eels are within 4.

51: The Eels are ruled to have knocked the ball on, Pauli Pauli dropping the ball on attack. The Sharks get the ball 20 metres out from their own line.

53: Great call from the referee. Reece Robinson attempts to leave a Sharks' grubber to go dead,but touches it just before it goes out. The ref orders the drop out, and rightly ignores protests from the Eels.

55: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Penalty goal attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
The Sharks get a penalty now from within the Eels' danger zone. They opt for the kick, and Michael Gordon grabs the 2 for his side.

59: The Sharks are sliding well in defence at the moment, but the Eels really aren't testing them to much with angle running...

61: Paul Gallen has thrown a terrible offload while practically laying on the ground, and its been knocked on. Poor play.

61: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Reece Robinson. Kick to come.
And it's caused some massive pressure for the Sharks! Reece Robinson has scored, and Luke Kelly will attempt a kick from the sideline to even up the scores for the first time since kick off.

62: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Luke Kelly successful.
Kelly converts the goal from the sideline! 22 all!

65: Corey Norman has sliced through, but has no support from his outside men. On the last, the Eels force a repeat set, and will get the ball back from the line dropout.

68: TRY PARRAMATTA EELS
Scored by Isaac De Gois. Kick to come.
And now De Gois has gone himself from dummy half and scored a try to take the Eels in front!

68: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PARRAMATTA EELS
Conversion attempt by Luke Kelly successful.
And to add insult to injury, the conversion attempt is successful!

70: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Sosaia Feki. Kick to come.
The Sharks have hit back thanks to a huge play from Sosaia Feki. He sprinted down the left edge after a couple of quick passes, and he scores in the corner.

70: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon has converted to even things up.

76: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Field goal attempt by Valentine Holmes successful.
Valentine Holmes slots a field goal! It's wobbly, but it does the job!

77: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Michael Ennis. Kick to come.
Michael Ennis has just scored as well. It's a party for the Sharks, and it looks like it will result in a top 8 berth!

77: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon converts the try, and the Sharks will win in a thriller!