Canberra Raiders hold their nerve to beat Parramatta Eels in NRLW

So the Raiders mentor will take the two competition points, courtesy of a 28-22 win over the Parramatta Eels at Canberra Stadium on Sunday, but he is far from content.

If you'd have told Borthwick his side would be third on the ladder - level on eight competition points with the ladder-leading Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights - with a 4-1 record, he might have questioned you.

But "we're definitely not happy" with the latest outing and things need to turn around quickly before a clash with Brisbane next week, after the winless Eels threatened to overrun Canberra despite the home side shooting out to an 18-0 lead in the opening half.

"I thought defensively, we were going to be a team that had a lot more resolve than what we've got at the moment. The defensive efforts that we've been putting in are just not up to the standard," Borthwick said.

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"That was probably the most disappointing thing, we got to that 18-0 lead and we just give them a little sniff. We were worried about that, Parra were coming down here to play and like any team in the NRLW, you give them a little bit of a sniff and it will come back to bite you in the end.

"It was probably well closer than what it should have been. We have to be better."

You surely would have found short odds for Raiders flyer Madison Bartlett to score the opening try - and she only needed 79 seconds to do it.

The Canberra winger is in a shootout to be the leading try-scorer in NRLW history, chasing St George Illawarra livewire Teagan Berry and Newcastle superstar Tamika Upton.

Raiders prop Sophie Holyman would score soon after as Canberra threatened to heap more misery on a Parramatta outfit which has already endured a torrid start to their campaign just one year after facing Newcastle on grand final day.

But gone from that squad are the likes of Raiders captain Simaima Taufa, Cronulla duo Tiana Penitani and Brooke Anderson, and Brisbane flyer Gayle Broughton.

Since then the Eels have scored less and conceded more than any other team in the competition, but a try to Amelia Mafi late in the first half gave them something to hold onto. After all, if Newcastle could rally from 12 down at half-time to beat the Broncos on the bell, why couldn't Parramatta?

Eels captain Rachael Pearson admits Parramatta weren't switched on from the opening whistle. A poor warm-up will do that.

But the Eels harboured hopes of a comeback until the final siren as the two sides traded tries to leave Borthwick holding his breath in the box.

Finally, with the Raiders still ahead by six, the scoreboard attendant finally got a breather of their own.

"They're all finding out about each other, and they're finding out they've got some players next to them that will rip in and fight for each other and keep playing," Eels coach Dean Widders said.

"We're learning that every week. Once they got down and did the things they're good at, they showed they're as good as any team in the competition.

"We've just got to make sure we execute on those things we're good at for a longer period of the game."

AT A GLANCE

NRLW round five: CANBERRA RAIDERS 28 (Madison Bartlett, Sophie Holyman, Alanna Dummett, Shakiah Tungai, Cheyelle Robins-Reti tries; Zahara Temara 4 goals) bt PARRAMATTA EELS 22 (Amelia Mafi, Kimberley Hunt, Abbi Church, Cassey Tohi-Hiku tries; Rachael Pearson 3 goals) at Canberra Stadium.

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