Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles failed to fire in a disappointing 36-22 loss to the Parramatta Eels at home today in round eight of the NSW Cup.
On a day when the Blacktown Club held a special ANZAC service pre-game, the home side got off to a poor start to trail 22-6 at half-time at HE Laybutt Reserve. The Eels ran in seven tries to four despite some fightback from Blacktown Workers in the second half.
Powerful winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega crossed for a hat-trick for Blacktown Workers.
The loss came off the back of a tough win over Newtown away last week as Blacktown Workers try to find some consistency with two wins in their past four matches to sit in eighth spot.
Match: Sea Eagles v Eels
Round 8 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
8th Position
away Team
Eels
12th Position
Venue: HE Laybutt Field, Sydney
Poor decision-making and the inability to stop Parramatta’s offloads hurt Blacktown’s chances at sealing their third win in a row.
Parramatta wingers Jake Tago and Isaac Lumelume got the Eels off to a flying start for a 10-0 lead after five minutes.
Tuaimalo Vaega crossed for his first try in the 22nd minute after a shift from halfback Brandon Wakeham and centre Bailey Hodgson saw the deficit to 10-6.
Back-to-back defensive sets on their own line proved costly for Blacktown as the Eels scored through second-rower Kelma Tuilagi for a 16-6 lead with six minutes to play in the first half.
Parramatta took advantage of the fatigued defence and scored through halfback Daejarn Asi on the stroke of halftime for a 22-6 lead at the break.
The Eels then scored two tries in 12 minutes with Lumelume crossing for his second in the 48th minute and fullback Zac Cini diving over three minutes later to push the lead to 30-6.
Blacktown weren’t going down without a fight as Tuaimalo Vaega dived over in the corner for his second try in the 54th minute for a 30-10 scoreline.
Parramatta centre Sean Russell slipped through the defence to score in the 64th minute to extend the lead to 36-10.
Blacktown Workers winger Watson Heleta crossed in the corner four minutes later for the Sea Eagles after a well-timed pass from centre Clayton Faulalo to take the score to 36-16.
Tuaimalo Vaega scored a consolation try in the corner to seal his hat-trick with just under a minute to play.
Blacktown Workers take on the Canberra Raiders in round 9 on Saturday May 4, at 1:45pm at 4 Pines Park.
Parramatta 36 (Tries: Tago 2’, Lumelume 5’, Tuilagi 32’, Asi 39’, Lumelume 48’, Cini 51’, Russell 64’. Goals: Asi 2/4, Russell 2/3) def. Sea Eagles 22 (Try: Tuaimalo Vaega 22’, 54’, Heleta 68’, Tuaimalo Vaega 78’. Goals: Wakeham 3/4)
