Dragons score late to claim win over Panthers

v BYE

The Dragons have finished two-point victors in a tit-for-tat contest with the Panthers, with Josh Dugan claiming a late try and a 14-12 win for the hosts in front of 12,983 at WIN Stadium.

The first points of the game were awarded to the Dragons after Gareth Widdop kicked a penalty goal in the 11th Minute. No further points were scored in the first half in what can best be described as a dour struggle.

Three minutes into the second half, Jamie Soward kicked a penalty goal for the Panthers, levelling it up 2 a piece. It would take almost an hour for the first try to be scored, with Josh Dugan setting the try up for Euan Aitken, making it 8-2 after 53 minutes. 

It took the Panthers til the hour mark for their first four-pointer, Peta Hiku on the end of it to level scores at 8-all.

The Panthers went ahead in the 73rd minute through a Josh Mansour try, making it 12-8, but Jamie Soward missed a much-needed conversion.

With 4 minutes remaining, Josh Dugan stretched out to put the ball on the line after clamouring through several defenders, levelling it out to 12-all. Gareth Widdop kicked the conversion to give the Dragons a two-point lead in the dying stages.

The ensuing short kick-off didn't work well for the Panthers when the Dragons got possession, but the Panthers did have a chance in the dying seconds. Unfortunately for the mountain men, that chance was lost when Jack de Bellin took a flying Penrith pass to crush the visitors' last-gasp chance of winning the game.

Next week the Dragons start a Queensland trip, heading to Townsville on Saturday night when they face the Cowboys, while Penrith are off to Pirtek Stadium for their local derby against Parramatta next Sunday afternoon.