Adam Lucius at Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta has re-entered the top eight after doing in the hard way in putting away a courageous Melbourne 24-22 at Parramatta Stadium.
The Eels trailed 10-0 early against a Storm side missing nine Origin players before climbing their way back into the contest and finishing narrow two-point winners.
The win was Parramatta's third in four starts and maintains its push for a finals berth after an inconsistent start to the season.
But it was a victory that was a long time coming after the under-manned and inexperienced Storm just refused to die before a vocal crowd of 12,597.
Cooper Cronk scored a 77th minute try to send nervous tremors through the Parramatta camp, but the hosts held on to record an invaluable victory.
The Eels were denied an early try by the video referee, who ruled there was obstruction in the lead-up to a try by winger Tony Williams after four minutes.
The Storm doubled the pain by scoring first in the eighth minute, Cronk's flat ball found Sika Manu and there was no stopping the big second-rower so close to the line.
Cronk's conversion missed from out wide but, at 4-0, the visitors had the early break they desired.
Things only got better for the Storm from there as Parramatta continued to make unforced errors.
One of those mistakes led to Melbourne centre Joseph Tomane picking up a dropped pass from Nathan Hindmarsh and beating the pursuing Eels defence in a 90m foot race to the line.
Cronk converted for a 10-0 lead after 15 minutes, stunning the home side into silence.
Parramatta finally got on the board in the 19th minute through a touch of luck and ingenuity.
The ball came to Brett Finch as the Eels desperately attempted to keep the ball alive on the last tackle.
The half-back hoisted a hopeful cross-field bomb for Joel Reddy who out-leapt Melbourne's Sam Joe and flopped the ball out the back as he was headed to the ground.
Taulima Tautai picked up the scraps and touched down in the corner just before taking the corner post with him.
Luke Burt added the extra two from out wide and the blue and golds were back in business at 10-6.
The hosts were on level terms 12 minutes before the break when the ball went wide from a scrum and Williams received an inside ball from Krisnan Inu to stroll over.
Burt converted and Parramatta led for the first time 12-10.
When Reddy scored from a second man play and Burt converted in the 33rd minute, the Eels were in front 18-10 and looking ominous.
But the second half began much like the first, Parramatta inviting Melbourne into the game via a plethora of mistakes.
The Storm enjoyed a one-man advantage for 10 minutes early in the second term when the Eels' Williams was sin binned for a professional foul.
But after failing to make the most of its numerical superiority, Melbourne waited until Willams returned before scoring its third try.
Cronk bombed across the field for Joe to fly high in the in-goal and inadvertently deflect the ball back to Sika for a simple put down.
Steve Turner, taking over goal-kicking duties from Cronk, landed the sideline conversion to bring the Storm back into it at 18-16 after an hour.
But the Eels delivered a fatal blow just six minutes later after benefitting from one of several contentious penalties given against Melbourne for hitting