NRL: Tigers hold off Eels

Beau Ryan of the Tigers celebrates scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

Parramatta's NRL finals hopes are on life support after the Eels came up just short of completing a miracle comeback in a 20-18 loss to Wests Tigers tonight.

Handed a shot a goal from 25 metres out and just off centre and with less than a minute on the clock, the NRL's most accurate goalkicker Luke Burt pushed it wide after the Eels had set up a thrilling finish with two late tries.

Trailing 20-6 with just 11 minutes left, the Eels stormed back into the game via tries to Justin Horo and Anthony Mitchell, but were unable to conjure one last piece of magic to remain two points behind eighth-placed Brisbane with two games to go.

The Tigers are now almost assured of a home final, thanks in large part to a brilliant game from Benji Marshall, who directed the side around the park with aplomb.

Despite trailing 10-6 at the break, the Eels would have gone to the sheds the happier of the two sides given the Tigers had every chance to have the game and a home final wrapped up by halftime.

Twice the visitors were denied by the video referee - once when Robbie Farah fluffed a simple put down from a gorgeous Marshall grubber - while Chris Lawrence came up with an unwanted double of his own with two passes finding the sideline instead of unmarked winger Lote Tuqiri.

The pair finally combined for the opening try thanks to a switch of play inside their own half, winger Krisnan Inu caught out of position as Lawrence cruised over.

A delicate Marshall chip on halfway had Farah scampering downfield, his kick for Beau Ryan out wide clean up a by a retreating Jarryd Hayne, who was having a quiet first half.

Ryan wasn't to be denied however with more Marshall brilliance with a held up pass giving his winger an open passage for a 10-0 lead.

The scoreboard was hardly indicative of the Tigers' dominance, and it was almost unjust when Joel Reddy and Inu swivelled out of tackles with the Kiwi winger cutting the deficit to four.

A pin-point Farah kick had the Tigers back on top after the restart as he earned his side a repeat set, the visitors capitalising when a Tim ana Tahu intercept attempt went horribly wrong with Farah cleaning up the crumbs and finding Ryan for his second ana 14-6 lead.

The Eels were fighting hard, but the sloppiness which had been a hallmark of their first half effort continued to limit their effectiveness.

Never was this more evident than when Hayne failed to find touch from a penalty that would have put the Eels 20 metres out, the Tigers making them pay when Andrew Fifita barged over for what seemed an unassailable 20-6 lead with 18 minutes on the clock.

WESTS TIGERS 20 (B Ryan 2 A Fifita C Lawrence tries B Marshall 2 goals) bt PARRAMATTA 18 (J Horo K Inu A Mitchell tries L Burt 3 goals) at Parramatta Stadium. Referee: Ben Cummins, Shayne Hayne. Crowd: 19,854.

- AAP