Souths return to winners circle in torrid conditions

South Sydney have won their first match in six games with a 14-4 victory over the Penrith Panthers in terrible conditions at Telstra Stadium tonight.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 5,053, despite the fact that at first glance it did not look like they would break the 1,000 mark.

On a night like this tries were to be cherished, and it was their defence, which won them this match, not conceding a try for the first time since 1999, when they ironically defeated Penrith 20-0.

It was the Rabbitohs who got off to the best possible start in the wet, from a perfectly weighted Dean Widders grubber, which was picked up by Paul Mellor. He was able to pick the ball up and fend off a lunging tackle from Rhys Wesser to score in the corner.

Souths lead 4-0, after just six minutes.

The score remained this way until the 31st minute, when the Panthers earned their first points of the match through a penalty goal from young centre Michael Gordon. Just eight minutes later, Gordon locked the ball game up going in to halftime through another penalty goal, and the sides went in to the break at 4all, despite the Panthers