Penrith have pulled off an NRL comeback for the ages, scoring three tries in 206 seconds to beat a shell-shocked Parramatta 36-34 and stay in the race for the minor premiership.
In a truly remarkable finish, Parramatta looked certain for victory when they led 34-20 with seven minutes left against a 12-man Penrith with Liam Martin in the sin-bin.
But Penrith would not be denied, as Nathan Cleary and Brian To'o took charge to help the Panthers score three times in as many sets to win the match.
The win keeps the Panthers within two points of Melbourne at the top of the ladder, meaning the winner of next Thursday's blockbuster between the sides will claim No.1 spot.
Penrith are likely to be without Scott Sorensen after he suffered a hamstring injury early on Friday night, while Martin and Jarome Luai will face scrutiny from the match review committee.
Martin was also put on report for dangerous contact for kicking Deajarn Asi, while Jarome Luai was accused of putting his knee into Will Penisini's head in a tackle.
It came as the Panthers were poor for 73 minutes, and Parramatta played close to their best game of the season.
But for the umpteenth time during this Panthers dynasty, Ivan Cleary's men showed they are never dead in a match.
To'o was the catalyst for the comeback, doing well to get a ball out of his own in-goal with seven minutes left as Penrith got trapped in a corner.
From a penalty a few plays later, the Panthers winger stepped past two defenders to score and offer Penrith the faintest of hopes.
At the end of the next set and with Martin back on the field, Cleary chased through on his own shallow kick and regathered a loose ball, before sending it out wide for Sunia Turuva to score.
And with the game back in the balance, Daine Laurie was able to break into clear space from within his own half and send Izack Tago over the line.
Cleary superbly nailed the ensuing kick from close to the sideline, and suddenly Penrith had the lead.
"How good is footy, eh?" Ivan Cleary said.
"What a game, a crazy game. The ability to come back from 14 down twice in the second half, when it totally wasn't our night.
"The second half was a car crash. Didn't value possession and found new ways to give penalties away.
"But these boys are just never beaten."
Parramatta had a late chance to send the match to golden point with a Clint Gutherson penalty kick, but the Eels captain hooked it left from 15 metres in from touch.
Afterwards, coach Trent Barrett and Gutherson fumed over what they believed was a clear obstruction in the lead up to Penrith's final try.
"I just feel for the players. They didn't deserve to lose that. We were the better side tonight," Barrett said.
"That last four minutes got away from us. And the last try, I thought there was an obstruction in there, a pretty bad one too.
"How that happened with the officiating we've got and how many people looking at it, I don't know."
The result means Parramatta remain in a battle with Wests Tigers to avoid the wooden spoon, while Penrith are one step closer to wrapping up a home final with a top-two spot.
The signs of an upset were there early on when Laurie spilled the ball on Penrith's first possession of the game.
Teenage star Blaize Talagi then gave Penrith a glimpse of what he will be able to offer them next year, when he sliced through to score Parramatta's first after 79 seconds.
The Eels centre then put Sean Russell over for Parramatta's next, before both sides turned the match into a point-scoring frenzy and Penrith somehow prevailed.
