Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Dragons score late to salvage draw vs. Eels

The Dragons got off to a belter start with Cody Ramsey slicing into the backfield in the side’s opening set of the contest, drawing the fullback, and hitting a supporting Glover on his inside for first points.

Glover converted his own try from in front to make it 6-0 less than three minutes into the encounter.

Hame Sele, in his first outing since the Charity Shield, left the field soon after with hamstring tightness before Tom Eisenhuth was placed on report for a late shot on an Eels kicker.

Mathew Feagai came up with a perfectly timed bone-rattler however to force a Parramatta error and put a stop to the raid.

Connor Muhleisen was helped from the field 15 minutes in after suffering a heavy knock to the head which ended his afternoon.

The Eels got on the board a quarter of the way in after spending a prolonged period attacking the Dragons line with fullback Te Hurinui Twidle finding space down the right edge off a sweep line to bring it back to 6-4.

Parramatta hit the lead their next possession with Dan Keir pouring through to ground a deft Ronald Volkman grubber the right of the sticks.

Eisenhuth left the field for a HIA a half-hour in – which ruled him out for the remainder of the match – bringing Nick Tsougranis into the action.

The Dragons ill-discipline continued to cost them with Keir powering his way over for a second just shy of the break to make it 16-6.

The Red V’s second stanza began in similar fashion to their first Glover this time laying points on for his halves partner Lyhkan King-Togia after slipping into space centre-field.

Parramatta managed a response however through Kelma Tuilagi who charged his way over to improve the hosts’ lead back to double digits.

The Dragons’ halves again linked to lay on points with Glover showing and darting his way into the backfield and hitting a supporting King-Togia back up the middle to score.

An incorrect restart handed the Dragons a golden opportunity to find more points with Mathew Feagai outmuscling his opposite down the left-hand corridor and slamming the ball down to tie things up at 22-apiece.

The Red V looked to be on their way to the front with 15 minutes left after Nathan Lawson sped down the right flank only for the final pass to go awry.

It was instead the hosts who hit the lead with seven minutes to play with Bailey Simonsson pouncing on a grubber in the right corner.

Glover’s phenomenal afternoon persisted with the crafty No.7 poking his nose through and finding captain Corey Allan with a one-handed offload to set up another try and cut the deficit back to 28-26.

He converted the try to make it 28-all with 30 seconds on the clock before attempting an unlikely two-point field goal as time expired which was waved away.