Panthers 18 Eels 26
A PENRITH fan hit referee Ben Cummins in the head with a mini football after Parramatta came from behind to resurrect their season in a controversial encounter last night.
Parramatta produced a stunning second-half comeback to blow Penrith off the park and snap a three-game losing streak.
But the main talking point will be a series of crucial refereeing decisions which prompted one supporter to literally turn his aim on the whistleblower.
As the full-time siren sounded, Cummins collected a foam footy between the eyes in a bitter end to proceedings.
With their season on the line after yet another lacklustre opening 40 minutes, the Eels finally clicked into gear with four second-half tries.
Panthers lock Nathan Smith and hooker Luke Priddis were controversially denied either side of the break, which would have extended their eight-point lead, and the Eels capitalised by scoring four tries in a stunning 11-minute assault.
Priddis scored what would have been the try of the season, a length-of-the-field effort that was pulled up when Cummins ruled Michael Gordon had fielded a kick return on his own goal, ruling a 20-metre tap.
Nathan Hindmarsh, one of four Eels backing up from Friday night's City-Country fixture, sparked the revival.
Snubbed for the Centenary Test, the workaholic back-rower showed Australia's selectors just what they'll be missing when he scored an opportunist try in the 50th minute - just reward for following through on a Feleti Mateo kick. He also pulled off 39 tackles and nine hit-ups for good measure.
When Hindmarsh scored, the floodgates opened and the Panthers were unable to repel the tide.
The Eels achieved the feat without the luckless Eric Grothe for the second half. After his shocker against Manly - after which he threatened to sack himself - the enigmatic winger endured another headache when he clashed heads with Frank Puletua in the 27th minute.
Despite being heavily concussed, he struggled through to half-time - but was unable to emerge from the sheds for the second stanza.
Mark Riddell (sternum) was a late scratching for the Eels and his replacement, Matt Keating, took it upon himself to set up the opening try. The rookie hooker sprung out of dummy half and threw a cut-out pass to Daniel Wagon.
Everyone seemed to think the ball was going to decoy runner Fuifui Moimoi, allowing Wagon to stroll under the posts untouched. Luke Burt converted to bring up his 1001st point in the top grade.
The lead was short-lived, as the Panthers strolled over for two soft tries in the space of just three minutes. Petero Civoniceva scored his first try in the black jersey when he bulldozed his way over the line in the 15th minute. After what seemed an eternity, video referee Graeme West finally pressed the green button despite concerns over a possible movement.
The Eels' reputation for soft try-line defence was only reinforced when Tony Puletua strolled through moments later. The St Helens-bound forward busted through feeble attempted tackles from Joel Reddy and Grothe to shift the momentum the Panthers' way.
It seemed the Eels had committed every conceivable error in a shocking start to the season. Last night they found another way to gift the opposition points when a line drop-out failed to go the obligatory 10 metres.
The Panthers received the penalty and Jarrod Sammut - looking like Punky Brewster while wearing one red boot and one orange one - extended the lead to 14-6. The Eels were fortunate not to go further behind, aided by yet another trademark try-saving tackle by Hindmarsh and a favourable piece of officiating.
Smith looked set to celebrate the signing of a $220,000-a-year contract with Canberra during the week with a try under the posts for the Panthers, only for Hindmarsh and Taulima Tautai to make a final, despairing defensive play. It was unclear if Smith was held up over the line, and when West referred the decision back to Cummins the decision went the visitors' way.
The Eels had a chance to narrow the deficit just before the main break when Tautai found space out wide, but Sammut bundled him into touch with a copybook trysaver.
PARRAMATTA 26 (D Wagon N Hindmarsh F Mateo W Hauraki J Reddy tries L Burt 3 goals) bt PENRITH 18 (P Civoniceva T Puletua M Jennings tries J Sammut 3 goals) at CUA Stadium. Referee: B Cummins. Crowd: 18,724.
