Shane Shackleton of the Eels is congratulated by team mates after scoring the winning try. Photo / Getty Images
Parramatta Eels 22
Gold Coast 18
Parramatta have scored a final minute try to snatch a dramatic 22-18 victory over Gold Coast in the National Rugby League (NRL) match at Parramatta Stadium.
Forward Shane Shackleton dived on the scraps of a Daniel Mortimer kick in the 80th minute to give the fast-finishing Eels a victory that
had looked unlikely in a match the Titans led from the eighth minute.
But it was the Eels - minus suspended superstar Jarryd Hayne - who refused to give up, posting their third win for the season and leaving the Gold Coast struggling with just two wins from seven in 2011.
Parramatta scored four tries to three, with Joel Reddy, Jacob Loko and Jeff Robson also notching four-pointers and Luke Burt booting three goals.
For the Titans, Steve Michaels, William Zillman and Greg Bird scored tries with Scott Prince kicking three from three.
The Titans led 12-10 at halftime and it was 18-10 in the 51st minute after five-eighth Zillman beat four on an impressive 30m run to the line.
It looked as though the visitors had wrapped it up nine minutes later but a Prince pass to David Mead was ruled forward.
But the Eels were back to within two points when they capitalised on Titans centre Bodene Thompson being penalised for moving off the mark with Reddy crashing over in the 67th minute.
The 10,052 Parramatta faithful were on their feet four minutes later when a brilliant chip and chase from Burt looked to have sent winger Etu Uaisele over, but interchange forward Ben Smith was ruled offside after loitering in front of the play-the-ball.
Earlier, Gold Coast had scored first when centre Esikeli Tonga flicked inside for Michaels in the eighth minute before Parramatta were denied six minutes later by video referee Russell Smith when Fuifui Moimoi lost control of the ball over the line.
Mortimer laid on a try for Loko in the 18th minute before Bird's reply 10 minutes later, the backrower beating the Eels five-eighth on his way to the line.
But a freakish effort from Robson on the stroke of halftime, when he regathered his own kick which had hit the upright, left the Eels just two behind at the break.
Parrmatta 22 (J Loko J Reddy J Robson S Shackleton tries L Burt 3 goals) bt Gold Coast 18 (G Bird S Michaels W Zillman tries S Prince 3 goals) at Parramatta Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 10,052.
- AAP
