NRL: Bulldogs pip Eels in extra time

Josh Reynolds of the Bulldogs celebrates scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

Bulldogs 8
Eels 7

Canterbury produced a superb defensive performance to edge Parramatta 8-7 in extra time, handing caretaker coach Jim Dymock his first NRL victory.

A 41-metre field goal from Trent Hodkinson two minutes into the second extra period at ANZ Stadium consigned the Eels to a second successive golden point defeat in front of 15,126 hardy souls who braved the wet and cold.

The Bulldogs, who went into the game with just two wins in their past ten outings, spent large spells of the game desperately defending their line, but showed great character to punish the Eels' inability to turn possession into points.

Jarryd Hayne looked to have won the game for the Eels four minutes from the end of normal time with a close-range field-goal, only for Hodkinson to do likewise for the Bulldogs with less than two minutes on the clock to tie the scores at 7-7.

The Eels had dominated the opening exchanges, pinning the home side deep in their own half, and looked to have opened the scoring after seven minutes when Etu Uaisele touched down only to be denied by the video referee.

A superb 40-20 from Ben Roberts alleviated the pressure on the hosts and appeared to boost their confidence as they enjoyed their best spell of the game with Josh Reynolds breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Reynolds came off the bench and linked up well out of dummy-half with Hodkinson and exchanged passes before sprinting his way under the posts from 25 metres.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Hayne impressing at five-eighth, with some controlled kicking, but his side could find no way through a wall of blue and white shirts.

After holding out the rampant Eels, the Bulldogs cleared their lines with Ben Roberts' teasing grubber kick forcing Luke Burt into a knock on just metres from his line.

However, from the ensuing set Roberts produced a lazy-looking pass, read perfectly by Hayne who raced 70 metres to score his fifth try of the season.

The try saw the Eels once again step up a gear, but a combination of poor decision making and great defence from the hosts kept them out.

Hayne's field goal looked to have finally broke the Bulldogs' resistance, but sloppy play in wet conditions let Dymock's side back into the game and Hodkinson sealed the win.

CANTERBURY 8 (J Reynolds try S Turner goal T Hodkinson 2 field goals) bt PARRAMATTA 7 (J Hayne try L Burt goal J Hayne field goal) in golden-point extra time at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 15,126.

- AAP