Late drama as Crichton penalty goal keeps Bulldogs’ season alive

Stephen Crichton has kicked a late penalty goal to help Canterbury slow their worrying decline in form with a mistake-riddled 14-12 win over Parramatta.

Crichton struck from the tee in the 76th minute at Accor Stadium on Monday after Eels hooker Tallyn Da Silva was penalised for a questionable high shot on Matt Burton.

Burton laid down seeking treatment after Da Silva’s contact and failed to finish the match as he was sent for a head injury assessment.

Crichton’s penalty got the Dogs home after the first scoreless opening half in the NRL in five years.

Cameron Ciraldo’s Bulldogs (5-8) climbed to 13th on the NRL ladder, and kept their finals hopes alive, but the first half was a snapshot of Canterbury’s season when they dominated possession and territory and ran for 230 metres more than the Eels.

Despite having playing the ball 17 times in the Eels’ 20m zone in the opening 40 minutes, the Bulldogs’ attack was blunt and directionless.

The Eels thought Joash Papalii had scored a try on the stroke of half-time, only for his effort to be called back for a knock-on, resulting in the first scoreless opening half since the 2021 meeting between the Eels and Raiders.

Sitili Tupouniua was held up early in the second half before finally crashing over for the game’s opening try off a Lachlan Galvin short ball in the 49th minute.

Three minutes after Canterbury finally got on the board, captain Stephen Crichton helped his side double their lead. Crichton climbed above Eels fullback Isaiah Iongi to claim a Galvin bomb to touch down.

But just when the Bulldogs thought they were beginning to pull away, the Eels hit back with tries in back-to-back sets to set up a thrilling finish.

Winger Josh Addo-Carr made a burst down the left and grubbered in-field for Da Silva to slide in, and the hooker was quickly followed over by Papalii after a midfield bust from Eels debutant Teancum Brown.

The Eels were hunting a third after Ronald Volkman forced a goal-line dropout, but Da Silva brought the halfback’s work undone when he was penalised for an escort on Tupouniua – and then handed the Bulldogs the win.

Da Silva was placed on report by referee Todd Smith for a debatable high shot on Bulldogs five-eighth Burton and Crichton stepped up to slot the winning penalty from 40m out.

AAP