League: Warriors go down to Eels

Parramatta's Wade McKinnon flicks off Simon Mannering. Sandra Mu / Getty Images

NZ Warriors 12 Parramatta Eels 20

The New Zealand Warriors' National Rugby League playoff hopes suffered a big setback after they were beaten by a fast-starting Parramatta 20-12 tonight.

But the result lifted the hopes of the Eels, who began the weekend four points outside the top eight and have now won four in a row.

The Warriors were hit by the late withdrawal of fullback Brent Webb, who failed to complete the pre-match warm-up because of a hip problem.

His absence robbed the crowd of 14,499, the biggest at Mt Smart Stadium this year, of a head-to-head match-up with Parramattas Wade McKinnon, his replacement next season.

McKinnon made an incisive break in the opening spell but was largely contained by the Warriors.

The Eels targeted the Warriors' left hand defence and the tactic paid early dividends, with their four tries, all scored in the first half, coming on that side of the field.

The first two were gifts to winger Jarryd Hayne, who had the ball turned over to him firstly by marker Manu Vatuvei and then by centre Simon Mannering.

Hayne's speed did the rest as his notched up his ninth and 10th tries of the season in his eighth match.

There was worse for the Warriors when another turnover ended in second rower Nathan Hindmarsh going over after just a quarter of an hour.

The home side finally got on the board on the back of a penalty 15 minutes before the break.

In the next set, skipper Steven Price was put through for his fifth try of the campaign.

But the Warriors then conceded a fourth try with some weak defence allowing centre Luke O'Dwyer to touch down for an 18-6 halftime lead.

The Warriors hit back early in the second half, a superb Mannering bust and offload setting up a try for halfback Grant Rovelli. Centre Tony Martin's second conversion reduced the gap to six.

With the home side on a roll, second rower Michael Luck could have scored but failed to hold a pass a metre from the line, then Mannering forced his way over but was held up.

With 14 minutes to go, hooker Mark Riddell had the chance to put the Eels beyond the margin of a converted try, but his penalty from close range hit an upright and bounced away.

But Riddell made no mistake when given another chance as the clock counted down to one minute to go, landing a simple 30m penalty for a ruck infringement.

Parramatta Eels 20 (Jarryd Hayne 2, Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke ODwyer, tries; Hayne, Mark Riddell, goals)
New Zealand Warriors 12 (Steve Price, Grant Rovelli, try; Tony Martin 2 goals).
HT: 18-6.

- NZPA