NZ Warriors' barren stretch continues

Parramatta Eels 22 NZ Warriors 14

The New Zealand Warriors' barren streak on New Zealand grounds outside Auckland continued tonight when they were beaten by Parramatta in a National Rugby League match in Hamilton.

The 14-22 loss means the Warriors have now lost nine and drawn one of their fixtures in venues that have included Christchurch and Wellington.

It also leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table on minus four points.

The match marked the second season in succession that Parramatta have played a "home" fixture at Waikato Stadium and more than 16,000 spectators, a similar crowd to last year, turned up.

The Warriors were again made to pay for weaknesses in execution and defence that blighted their first-round loss to Melbourne last weekend.

Parramatta, last year's minor premiers, were coming off their own loss to Newcastle.

They hit the lead after just five minutes, with second rower Nathan Hindmarsh spinning in a tackle and putting centre Ben Smith into a big hole for a try.

The Warriors cut the margin with a Tony Martin penalty, but the Eels began to control proceedings with five-eighth Tim Smith proving a threat with his kicking game.

However, it was a superb pass from Smith that helped to put the Eels further ahead, as he picked out Hindmarsh, who had a simple passage to the tryline.

Winger Luke Burt's conversion made it 10-2, but the Warriors hit back in a freakish manner.

A Nathan Fien pass hit skipper Steve Price on the shoulder and the ball bounced forward over the Parramatta line. Substitute Evarn Tuimavave was on hand to ground the ball before the Eels' defence could react.

Martin's conversion made left the Eels ahead 10-8 at halftime.

But another Warriors mistake, when winger Manu Vatuvei lost the ball on defence in a three-man tackle, led to the Eels' third try.

The score was engineered by hooker Mark Riddell's little kick ahead and finished off by Hindmarsh.

Vatuvei made up for the error with 15 minutes to go, gathering in a Fien bomb to cross. Martin's conversion again pulled the Warriors to within two points.

However, five minutes later, a kick ahead by Parramatta produced a mix up between fullback Brent Webb and Vatuvei, and Dean Widders dived on the loose ball for a touchdown that sank the Warriors' hopes.

Scores:

Parramatta Eels 22 (Nathan Hindmarsh 2, Ben Smith, Dean Widders tries; Luke Burt 3 goals)
New Zealand Warriors 14 (Evarn Tuimavave, Manu Vatuvei tries; Tony Martin 3 goals).
HT: 10-8.

Referee: Sean Hampstead.

Crowd: 16,089.

- NZPA