Studdon boots Eels to thrilling maiden victory

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Newcastle Knights v Parramatta Eels

Parramatta have fought back from a six-point deficit on two occasions to down Newcastle with a late Maddie Studdon field goal in the third match of a McDonald Jones Stadium NRLW triple header on Sunday.

The Knights shot out of the blocks in front of their home faithful - fullback Romy Teitzel bagged the side's first four-pointer in their inaugural game after just three minutes.

Newcastle held the lead for some time, the Bunker denying the Eels twice before they eventually fought back to score a few minutes before halftime, Tiana Penitani's 31st minute try converted by Maddie Studdon and the score remained 6-all til halftime.

Phoebe Desmond put the home team back in the lead with a 43rd minute try some 8 minutes after halftime, Kirra Dibb taking the kicking duties to convert for a 12-6 lead.

Simaima Taufa was on the spot to barge over for the Eels' second try at the 52 minute mark, and Studdon's conversion had things all square with more than 15 minutes left on the clock.

Both sides traded blows for much of the remainder of the contest, Shirley Mailangi coming closest with the tryline mere centimetres away but no try in the final minutes.

But it would be Studdon who proved the difference in the end - potting a wobbly field goal with less than 20 seconds on the clock. Parramatta held on to a 13-12 victory for the handful of seconds the resumption of play allowed.

The Knights' task gets no easier in Round 2, they face Brisbane in the first clash of next Sunday's Wollongong triple-header, while Parramatta will again try to spoil the party for the hosts, this time the 3:40pm game against home side St George Illawarra later the same afternoon.