Adam Lucius at Parramatta Stadium
Luke Burt has missed a penalty shot at goal with 26 seconds left as Parramatta's season came to an end following a dramatic 20-18 loss to Wests Tigers at Parramatta Stadium.
The Eels trailed 20-6 with 12 minutes left before scoring two converted tries in five minutes to draw within two points.
Luke had the opportunity to take the match into a golden-point extra time but missed a relatively simple penalty attempt.
The veteran winger slumped to his haunches after the miss, shattered that Parramatta's belated run to the finals has been stopped dead in its tracks despite the stirring comeback.
Two minutes earlier Timana Tahu narrowly missed winning the race to a kick into the in-goal which would have handed Parramatta the match-winning try.
Two points out of the top eight with two rounds remaining, last year's grand finalists will now need a miracle to reach the play-offs.
With their season on the line, the Eels produced a mistake-riddled performance for the first hour, lacking any great urgency or creativity.
The Tigers' winning margin could easily have been far greater, the visitors bombing at least three certain tries in an otherwise professional and clinical display in front of a sell-out crowd of just under 20,000.
The loss is certain to increase the pressure on Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson, whose future at the club beyond this year has been the subject of much speculation.
Meanwhile, Tim Sheens' men move to within a win of competition leaders St George Illawarra and secure a top fourth berth.
Video referee Sean Hampstead earned his keep early, twice called into action within the first nine minutes.
His first decision was an easy one; Gareth Ellis rightly ruled in front of the kicker after Robert Lui's grubber rebounded off Parramatta legs and into the in-goal.
His next decision warranted greater examination.
Robbie Farah stayed onside to meet Benji Marshall's grubber but the ball slipped from his grasp just as he went to place it, Hampstead again got the verdict right in ruling no try.
The Tigers continued to dominate possession and field position while failing to convert their advantage into points.
Lawrence bombed one certain try by finding the sideline instead of the unmarked Tuqiri before - 20 minutes in – his side's endeavours were finally rewarded.
The ball went quickly to the left through Marshall and Lawrence to put Tuqiri into space down the left touchline.
The dual international found Lawrence back on his inside to complete a great try.
Nine minutes before the break the visitors exploited a massive overlap on their right, running the ball on the last tackle through Benji Marshall and Mitch Brown for Beau Ryan to score in the corner.
Marshall hooked the conversion attempt but it was all the Tigers at 10-0.
Three minutes before half-time that advantage should have been extended.
Lawrence could have gone himself and scored from close range but instead threw the ball forward and over the sideline with Tuqiri again the man to miss out
This time the Tigers would pay – and again Lawrence was the culprit.
Joel Reddy spun out his ineffective tackle and released Inu, who had little trouble to beat Brown to the line.
Luke Burt added the extras and somehow, after coming second for most of the half, the Eels only found themselves down 10-6 at half-time.
Second-half tries to Ryan and Andrew Fifita swept the Tigers to a seemingly unassailable 20-6 lead.
But