LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
The Canberra Raiders NRLW side have fallen agonizingly short against the Parramatta Eels, going down 18-16 at GIO Stadium Canberra on Sunday arvo.
In a crucial clash as the season nears its end, the Green Machine were looking to send shockwaves through the competition and keep their finals dreams alive.
However, they were unable to overcome a formidable Eels outfit.
The Eels came out of the blocks like a bat out of hell, with second rower Mahalia Murphy crashing over on the left edge in the tenth minute to open the scoring and take a 6-0 lead.
It was a seesawing battle between the two teams, with the Eels capitalizing on their pace as Tyla Amuati displayed some fancy footwork to evade multiple defenders and extend their lead to 12-0.
Heading into halftime trailing by 12, the Raiders knew they needed to dig deep and find another gear in the second half.
The Raiders clawed their way back into the contest, disrupting the Eels' defense as winger Madison Bartlett soared over for a try, closing the gap to 12-4.
Despite a valiant effort, the Raiders were unable to complete the comeback, falling short by just two points in a nail-biting finish.
A disappointing result for the Green Machine, but they will take heart from their fighting spirit as they look to bounce back in their remaining games.