Emotion overflows as Eels half nails field goal on the siren
Eels halfback Rachael Pearson has inspirationally led her side to a 17-16 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium to put themselves in form with one round left in the season.
Sitting last on the ladder going into the match, the Eels don’t have a finals berth to play for but performed with a desperation to win.
The Eels celebrate Rachael Pearson’s field goal. Getty Images
The Eels finished the first half leading 12-0 but the Raiders came out of the break strong with Sheridan Gallagher and Charlotte Basham scoring. The Raiders couldn’t convert meaning the Eels led 12-10.
Pearson then started to put her stamp on the match, hitting a massive 40/20 from just outside her 20-metre line.
“That was exceptional,” Allana Ferguson said on Nine.
In the 57th minute, Raiders star Simaima Taufa was sent to the sin bin for a hip-drop tackle which brought about another Eels try to Rory Owen.
Canberra stayed in the hunt and scored through Isabella Waterman to make it 16-16 just before Taufa returned.
With two minutes to go, Pearson then had her first attempt at a field goal but was rushed by the defence and pushed it wide. The Eels halfback had another chance with seconds remaining and on this occasion gave herself more depth and put the field goal between the posts.
Her teammates then celebrated jubilantly in an overflowing display of emotion.
“How good’s an old-fashioned stack on?” Ferguson asked.
Post-match, Pearson wasn’t bothered by how the field goal looked.
“I didn’t hit it too well but as long as it goes through those two sticks, I don’t care,” she said.
The win shot the Eels up from last to eighth as they prepare to play North Queensland next week.
