KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors face a nervous wait after they suffered a 12-10 defeat at the hands of Parramatta in their National Rugby League qualifying final in Auckland tonight.
The Eels' victory came from two tries in the final quarter, shortly after surviving a period of defensive pressure when the Warriors lost an opportunity to pull clear from a 4-0 lead.
The home side were given some brief hope in the dying stages when they were awarded a rare penalty try, but the Eels held out for the final two minutes.
The Warriors now need at least two of the three teams that finished above them in the minor premiership - Melbourne, Manly and North Queensland - to win this weekend to stay alive in the finals.
If they get a second chance, they will have to travel to Australia next weekend.
The opening half was intense but scrappy with Parramatta struggling with their kicking game and the Warriors finding difficulty in completing their sets.
The sell-out crowd of 28,745 at Mt Smart Stadium created a cacophony as the teams ran out.
The noise was matched by the very first collision on the field, with Warrior Sam Rapira being hit in a heavy tackle by rival prop Nathan Cayless and needing time to steady his wobbly legs.
Parramatta showed an early willingness to chance their arm, not afraid to run on the ball on the final tackle.
But neither side was able to gain the decisive upper hand, although Parramatta gradually gained an ascendancy in territory.
Both sides had chances to break the deadline as halftime approached.
The Warriors appeared to have struck first blood when a Grant Rovelli cross kick was tapped back by winger Patrick Ah Van and centre Todd Byrne pounced on the loose ball, but Byrne failed to get downward pressure.
Minutes later, Parramatta winger Timana Tahu drove for the line but lost the ball in a Michael Witt tackle.
What then followed was a passage of play that showed the lack of composure from both sides.
First, Warrior interchange forward Epalahame Lauaki lost the ball from the ensuing scrum.
Then opposite Chad Robinson replied in kind in a Lauaki tackle on Parramatta's next possession.
The visitors continued to pressure the Warriors' line, but some strong defence and a couple of overhit kicks by halfback Tim Smith thwarted the Eels.
The Warriors finally broke the deadlock early in the second half.
A Witt bomb was contested by Ah Van and rival winger Krisnan Inu, and again the ball fell Byrne's way and this time he made no mistake to dot down. Witt failed to added the extras, a miss that was later to prove crucial.
The score signalled the start of a concerted period of Warrior domination, when they had possession for five consecutive sets.
But they couldn't break the Eels' defence, the closest they came being when second rower Logan Swann was held up over the line.
With 16 minutes to go, Parramatta put up a bomb of their own, Smith's kick was knocked back by five-eighth Brett Finch and interchange forward Feleti Mateo was on hand to touch down. Inu added the conversion to edge the Eels ahead.
There was worse for the home side six minutes later when fullback Jarryd Hayne won a race for a P J Marsh grubber to score, with Inu again kicking the conversion.
As time was running out, the Warriors were awarded a penalty try after Witt was tackled by Chad Robinson without the ball just out from the line. Witt's goal from in front closed the gap, but not enough.
