The Serve

Panthers throw away winning lead

Penrith’s horror season has plunged to even greater depths, blowing to 20-4 lead against the Wests Tigers to lose comfortably at Telstra Stadium.The Panthers were almost untroubled in the first half, with the departing Peter Wallace opening the scoring with a try in the seventh minute. A penalty goal was followed by a converted try to Frank Pritchard in the twenty-first minute. The penalty count was a staggering 6-0 in favour of Panthers, who then went the rest of the match without adding to that total.

Tigers lock Chris Lawrence scored the first of three tries, thanks to new Panthers fullback Richie Williams fumbling a bomb. That error though seemed to be cancelled out by Pritchard’s second try five minutes later.

The turn around started when Stuart Flanaghan crossed from dummy half three minutes before half time.

That try clearly provided an edge at the break, with the Tigers cancelling out Penrith’s lead just six minutes into the second half. Lawrence scored his eleventh try for the season, with a length of the field run, while prop Todd Payten crossed shortly after.

The onslaught continued.

Payten finished off a rare double in the fifty-third minute, with Lawrence completing his hat trick seven minutes later. The rampant Tigers had scored five tries in a twenty minute stretch to lead 32-20.

Penrith gave themselves a chance when Luke Lewis went over with seventeen minutes remaining, however that would prove to be their last score.

Robbie Farah gave the Tigers a seven point buffer with a field goal in the 67th minute, with tries to Beau Ryan and Dean Collis in the final ten minutes adding to the Tigers for, as they cruised into the NRL top four. The Panthers will remain in sole possession of last place.