Panthers get two points in scrappy
win

Fulltime score: Round 18 PENRITH PANTHERS 16 v MANLY SEA EAGLES 12

Match summary: The Panthers have kept their slim finals hopes alive in defeating the Manly Sea Eagles 16-12 at Penrith Stadium tonight.

In what was a scrappy affair, the Penrith side scored first after just seven minutes before Manly posted their first points in the 26th minute.

Coming up to the break, Panthers' five eighth Preston Campbell took advantage of the tiring defence to score under the posts. Penrith's joy soon turned sour however when on the stroke of half time, hooker Luke Priddis was sin binned for a professional foul.

At half time, the Panthers held a tenuous 10-6 lead.

The Panthers played smart 12-man football for the opening minutes of the second half and came close to scoring when Craig Gower made a break just before the return of Priddis.

But the Sea Eagles were next to score when winger Scott Donald crossed out wide in the 58th minute.

Trailing 12-10, the Panthers struggled to hang onto the ball and it looked very much like the match was slipping away from the home side.

But in the final minute, the Panthers managed to get one play to stick when Priddis took advantage of some messy football, cleaning up the dregs to score the match winning try.

Scorers: PENRITH PANTHERS 16 Tries: Rodney, Priddis Goals: Campbell 2/3 MANLY SEA EAGLES 12 Tries: Alberts, Donald Goals: Burns 2/3

Penrith Football Stadium Referee: Russell Smith Half time: Panthers 10-6

Live commentary: 0 min: Chilly conditions in Penrith but a huge crowd in attendance. Manly kicking off....

Kick off!!!

7 min: TRY - Panthers. Shane Rodney scores. Follows a classy bust from Preston Campbell. Presto's conversion 8m in from touch is unsuccessful. Panthers 4-0

15 min: NEWS - Panthers with the better run of play in the early stages. Penrith charging at the line and making a few breaks but Manly hanging on.

20 min: NO TRY - Panthers denied. Luke Rooney knocked-on following a Craig Gower cross-field kick. But Rooney appeared to be tackled while in the air. Video Ref decision on the last tackle is for Manly to play-the-ball.

26 min: TRY - Sea Eagles. Centre Ashley Alberts scores under the posts after Penrith forward Frank Pritchard is unable to take a wayward pass. The ball falls into Alberts' arms and he races away to score unopposed. Conversion OK from first grade debutante and five eighth, Travis Burns. Sea Eagles 6-4

34 min: TRY - Panthers. Preston Campbell under the posts, crashing through from close range. Campbell converts. Panthers 10-6

35 min: NEWS - Panthers come within a whisker of scoring following yet another bust up the middle of the park. They should have scored but are unable to exploit the overlap on the last play.

40 min: SIN BIN - Luke Priddis (Panthers) is sent off for 10 minutes. Follows some razzle-dazzle from Manly, huge break downfield. Panthers in all sorts of strife before Priddis commits a professional foul, taking the ball from an offside position.

40 min: NEWS - Burns misses a fairly easily penalty goal attempt.

Half time: Panthers 10-6 Plenty of possession to the Panthers and Manly missing far too many tackles. Penrith really should be further ahead. Penrith five eighth Preston Campbell looking like the best player on the park and is being helped a lot by some great forward work from Luke Priddis, Trent Waterhouse and Shane Rodney. Steve Menzies and Shayne Dunley working hard in defence for the Sea Eagles.

Second half underway...

50 min: NEWS - Luke Priddis back on the field for Penrith. The Panthers not troubled having to play with 12 men for 10 minutes when Craig Gower makes a bust downfield.

58 min: TRY - Sea Eagles. Scott Donald scores in the corner. Video ref scrutiny awards try following a beaut cross-field kick from Michael Monaghan, Donald getting the ball down just before being pushed out. Great conversion from Burns. Sea Eagles 12-10

65 min: NEWS - An error-ridden match with Panthers in particular squandering a shirtload of opportunities. Penalties favour Panthers 9-6 but completions proving a problem for both sides.

67 min: NO TRY - Sea Eagles denied after the ball is knocked forward over the line by Donald following a Monaghan kick. Alberts dives on the dregs and claims the try but its a no go.

72 min: NO TRY - Panthers denied. Video ref looking judges that Brett Howland is forced into touch before getting the ball down. Manly are off the hook.

74 min: NEWS - Ben Ross (Panthers) is forced from the field with a shoulder injury.

79 min: TRY - Panthers. Video ref awards try to Luke Priddis following a cross-field kick from Gower. A bizarre turn of events with some scrappy play and a late call from the ref for 'six again' after the kick went up. Priddis picked up the loose ball to score the match winner. Conversion Campbell from a wide angle is good. Panthers 16-12

80 min: BIFF - a bit of a dust up to end the match.

Full time: Panthers 16-12 A scrappy win for the Panthers who made enough mistakes to lose two matches. Fortunately for them, Manly were struggling a bit at times as well. Penrith can thank five eighth Preston Campbell, who was the best attacking weapon on the field; and hooker Luke Priddis, who despite being sin binned managed to put in a huge effort in defence as well as backing up around the ruck. For Manly, back rower Ben Kennedy did a top-notch job backing up after Origin and played most of the match, only having a brief rest after about 55 minutes.

----------------------------------------- Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - P Campbell (Panthers) 2 - L Priddis (Panthers) 1 - B Kennedy (Sea Eagles) -----------------------------------------