The Parramatta Eels have broken their six-game losing streak emphatically against the NZ Warriors.
Needing a win to enhance their NRL Finals chances, the Warriors trailed 30-4 before three tries in the final 10 minutes gave the scoreline some respectability in the 30-20 loss at Go Media Mt Smart Stadium on Friday night.
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With four matches and a bye remaining, and having played two more matches than most of the teams around them, the 12th-placed Warriors are three points out of the top-eight, but will need a strong August and other results to fall their way.
The Eels started with intensity and were the first on the board with Jake Tago going over mid-way through the first half with an acrobatic display to go over in the left cover, after the Eels had put in a strong defensive effort up their end of the field to hold out the Warriors earlier in the game.
They went back-to-back off the weight of possession with a number of six-to-go calls and they capitalised, with Joey Lussick showing his strength to barge over the line from a dummyhalf run, with the visitors out to a 12-0 lead.
Momentum started to shift when halves pairing Shaun Johnson and Chanel Harris-Tavita combined to find Roger Tuivasa-Sheck out wide, with the wing bustling over to score to give the Warriors a sniff 10 minutes before halftime.
However, after earning a line drop-out, the Eels wrested it straight back and were in again after Clint Gutherson was allowed to run across the field and pop what was deemed a flat ball to Daejarn Asi who did the rest, running through to extend their lead, with the conversion seeing them up 18-4.
The Warriors then lifted with the half-time siren imminent and were rewarded with a penalty, but Johnson's kick was waved away. Johnson struggled with the kicking duties all night, converting just one-of-three.
After the break, the Warriors crossed the tryline first - but the try was disallowed by the Bunker after a knock-on in the contest for the high ball.
The Eels then continued to defy their position on the ladder and scored two tries in the second half to claim a drought-breaking win, despite a late flourish of points from the home side who ran in three tries.
Next week, the Warriors head to Suncorp Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 4pm NZ Time) to take on the Dolphins, who they defeated in Round 12 at home, while the Eels take on the Penrith Panthers at home at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.
Parramatta Eels 30 (Jake Tago, Joey Lussick, Daejarn Asi, Blaize Talagi, Clint Gutherson tries; Clint Gutherson 5 con) NZ Warriors 20 (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak tries; Shaun Johnson con, Chanel Harris-Tavita con). HT: 18-4
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