Penrith finish Warriors season in the rain

Penrith have dominated the first half to end any faint hopes of finals footy for the Warriors, downing their Trans-Tasman opponents 24-10 tonight in front of a small Pepper Stadium crowd.

The Panthers struck first after a dubious blocking penalty chalked off a Maumalo catch. They shifted it wide and Lewis Brown did the rest, stepping, fending and scoring.

Two penalties, two tries. Sam McKendry went close with his charge allowing space for Reagan Campbell-Gillard to steam onto a pass for his first try of the season.

It was a stop-start first half with nine penalties in the opening half. Penrith took advantage of the Warriors' ill-discipline to make it 14-0.

Then, Sam Tomkins finally got the monkey off his back, 23 rounds into the competition. The English international started and finished a movement that involved Charlie Gubb with the forward's offload sending Tomkins over.

One try usually brings two! The Warriors, buoyed by the arrival of Hurrell, were lost on fifth, gave it to Tomkins who rolled a kick into the path of Hurrell to touchdown.

Will Smith got jiggy with it just before the break. The half-turned-fullback broke off a big run to get the Panthers going. They swung it left with the numbers, found Peachey who stepped out of a tackle to make it 20-10 at the break.

After halftime the Panthers were able to extend their lead out wide after a Tyrone Peachey break led to a Dave Simmons try, in the only scoring play of the second forty.

With both sides done for 2015, Penrith will head to Wollongong on Thursday night to face the Dragons, while the Warriors head home to host the second-placed Cowboys on Saturday evening.

Match Details

Penrith Panthers 24 New Zealand Warriors 10
Venue: Pepper Stadium
Crowd: 6774
Halftime Score: Penrith Panthers 20 New Zealand Warriors 10

PENRITH PANTHERS (24)
Tries: Lewis Brown, Regan Campbell-Gillard, Tyrone Peachey, David Simmons
Conversions: Jamie Soward (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Jamie Soward (1/1)

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS (10)
Tries: Sam Tomkins, Konrad Hurrell
Conversions: Tuimoala Lolohea (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Tyrone Peachey
2 points - Bryce Cartwright
1 point - Lewis Brown

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to the foot of the mountains for a clash featuring two teams who *could* make the finals, but simply won't. Penrith have been ordinary lately - trying their hardest but struggling with injuries, while the Warriors were cruising until the sudden loss of playmaker Shaun Johnson - and are now highly unlikely to feature in September footy.

We have several changes for Penrith - Isaac John (five-eighth) and Sika Manu (interchange) are both out. Tyrone Peachey moves from the second row to fill John's spot, while Nigel Plum comes in to replace Peachey. Dummy-half James Segeyaro has been benched in favour of Apisai Koroisau who will start at rake. Sopoaga, Latu and Latimore maintain their places on the bench. The Warriors are unchanged.

We have fulltime in the Under 20's clash today, Penrith have resumed their place at the top of the NYC with a 36-28 win over the Warriors.

1: Both teams are onto the field, ready for kick-off! HERE WE GO! Warriors with first use.

1: KICK-OFF!

2: Early PENALTY to the Panthers. Sam Rapira upended someone.

3: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Apisai Koroisau makes an unforced error.
Koroisau stretched for the line.. spilled it but we're checking now. Confirmed.

5: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Raymond Faitala-Mariner makes an unforced error.
Faitala-Mariner with a simple drop.

8: PENALTY Panthers! Maumalo has a magnificent catch chalked off because of a blocker.

9: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Lewis Brown. Kick to come.
Too big, too strong! Lewis Brown just shrugged off several Warriors on his way to the line.

10: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Jamie Soward in the Panthers indigenious jerseys swings it over,

12: Oops.. Warriors going nowhere on last, and Tomkins kicks OUT ON THE FULL!

13: PENALTY Panthers! All momentum is with them.

14: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Regan Campbell-Gillard. Kick to come.
Lovely face ball finds Campbell-Gillard who is mobbed after scoring.

15: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Right in front - Soward adds the two.

17: Straight from the try and now put on a belter of a hit. Campbell-Gillard hit Rapira square on, forcing the error. It's been reviewed, Gillard is ON REPORT. Warriors PENALTY.

17: UNFORCED ERROR NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Simon Mannering makes an unforced error.
Some unintended tunnel ball from Mannering there - knocked on.

19: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Nigel Plum makes an unforced error.
The 150 game-man tries to reel in a pass but can't.

22: PENALTY Warriors! Holding on too long.

24: Count is even now, at 3-3 after an offside against the Panthers.

26: Poor offload from Faitala-Mariner compounded by conceding a PENALTY. Warriors just can't get started tonight.

27: Referees loving the pea, in the whistle tonight. Eighth in 27 minutes. Panthers shoot for two.

27: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward adds the two.

30: Surprise, suprise! Another PENALTY.

32: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Sam Tomkins. Kick to come.
Started and finished by the English fullback! Tomkins stepped inside after the Hoffman offload, found Gubb who gave it back to him for his first try of the season.

32: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea successful.
Right in front, Lolohea makes it 14-6.

33: SIX MORE for the Warriors.

34: VIDEO REFEREE: Konrad Hurrell, impact player!

34: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Konrad Hurrell. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS..TRY! Tomkins involved once again, he rolled the kick into Wright's path, who toed it ahead for Hurrell to dive on.

34: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea unsuccessful.
A tougher assignment this time for Lolohea, just inside the touchline. He puts it across the face.

39: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Tyrone Peachey. Kick to come.
Brilliant counter-attacking football from Penrith. It all started from Smith's weaving run. Panthers shifted left and found Peachey, evaded a tackle and streaked away.

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
The hooter sounds, as Soward walks in and slots it.

43: We're back underway here at Pepper Stadium.

45: Penrith make a quality incision down the left but it's let down by the final pass which finds Nathan Friend. Friend's down after that... looks like he got hit after collecting the ball. Play on though.

47: Penrith's Peachey has been pinged for using Latu as an obstruction. Penalty Warriors on their own 10m line.

49: Another scything run from Penrith takes them from their own 20m line down the left edge... and now we could have a TRY to Dave Simmons on the right! VIDEO REF Decision pending in the far corner.

49: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by David Simmons. Kick to come.
Simmons takes stock of a Segeyaro kick in the far corner and gets it down in time. The 24 Nuggets for $10 say.... TRY!

50: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward unsuccessful.
Soward misses from out wide.

53: VIDEO REF | No try this time. Latu has crossed for Penrith but we're checking a potential knock on and possibly a player taken out.

53: NO TRY. Penrith get the penalty for the Warriors taking a player out.

54: Warriors outlast the Panthers after a drop ball in the far corner. NZ scrum.

58: Warriors force a line drop-out.

63: VIDEO REF | Possible NO TRY to Penrith through Lewis Brown... he's come away with an arm injury after attempting the ground too. It's NO TRY and Brown is back on his feet looking ok.

64: Penalty Warriors 30m out. They're mounting some pressure but not yet converting it into points.

67: They let Penrith off the hook, who then make an error and put the visitors back on the attack. Rain is now tumbling as the Warriors force a drop-out.

70: Time running out for the Warriors both in this game and to salvage their season. Penrith's defence holding out and to be honest - the Warriors attack is absolutely rudderless.

72: Just 6,774 at Pepper Stadium tonight.

75: The Warriors just seem to be resorting to their clutch play, shift it right and hope the big men run over the top. It's not working. They go left on the last and Penrith force the handover.

75: Penrith go 100 metres and force the drop-out.

80: That's all. Penrith find space on the final play through Tyrone Peachey but he's brought down. Game over!