Stephen Crichton is stopped just short of the line on the Panthers last attacking play and that will be full time. The Panthers improve to 11-1 while the Cowboys 6 game winning streak comes to an end. Next week, the Panthers will take on the Bulldogs at home on Friday Night, while the Cowboys will travel to the Gold Coast for a Thursday Night showdown against the Titans.
Panthers get a penalty deep in their own territory
Scott Drinkwater knocks on while trying to pick up a loose ball and you'd think the Panthers are going to keep the sheet clean from here
Kikau is penalised and put on report for the contact on Jeremiah Nanai
Another set restart for NQL
Set restart for NQL
Cowboys get a penalty as Scott Drinkwater is taken in the air
Nathan Cleary isn't taking this one but it doesn't matter as Stephen Crichton nails it from out wide
The Panthers finally score in the second half, with Jarome Luai delivering a peach of a pass to his left for Taylan May, who does well to beat Peta Hiku in cover
Set restart for PEN
Chad Townsend knocks on in trying to clean up the loose ball
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow takes the kick dead and again the Cowboys get a result with the short dropout
Cowboys only have a 59% completion rate tonight. You'll struggle to beat anyone with that, let alone the defending premiers.
Scott Drinkwater loses the ball, Panthers back on the attack
Cowboys go short again and it's ruled Kikau knocked on
Nathan Cleary's kick is taken dead by Drinkwater, repeat set for Penrith coming up
Challenge unsuccessful, it'll be Cowboys scrum
Ref says Taylan May has knocked on while trying to play the ball too quickly but the Panthers are challenging it
Cowboys get the ball after a Panthers error but come up short as Heilum Luki can't get to the line with a last tackle run
No try confirmed, it'll be a 7 tackle set for NQL
Going upstairs but it'll definitely not be a try, ref just checking the aerial contest that ensued after Cleary's kick
The Cowboys make another error coming out of trouble, this time it's Coen Hess with the drop
Heilum Luki can't handle Dearden's short pass
Terrible kick by Jarome Luai on the last, far too much weight on it as the ball sails dead. Cowboys hang on
Valentine Holmes makes a mess of the playing before 10 metres out from his own line, giving Penrith a golden opportunity to extend their lead
Cowboys try a short dropout and it comes off this time, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow rising up above everyone to take the ball
Taylan May grubbers for himself but Hiku wins the race to the ball, knocking it dead. Repeat set for Penrith coming up
Nathan Cleary tries a chop'n'chase and is taken out off the ball after he kicks it. Penalty Panthers
Valentine Holmes looked to be in for all money but the ball came loose just before he slid over the line
Cowboys get the opening penalty of the half
Spencer Leniu takes the first hit up of the half
Players are back out on the field ahead of the second 40
Jarome Luai knocks on on the last play of the half. That'll be it for the first 40, the Panthers taking a commanding lead into the sheds
Stephen Crichton gets dragged over the sideline, Cowboys hang on
Nathan Cleary kicks a 40/20. 4 minutes left in the half for the Panthers to extend
Tom Dearden dummies and goes himself but he is taken over the sideline by the Panthers cover defence
Jaeman Salmon going off for an HIA
To'o made a vital play to knock Dearden's pass down, Murray Taulagi would've been in untouched if not for it. Cowboys get 6 more tackles
On tackle 2 Kikau knocks on and shortly afterwards the Cowboys get a penalty
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow can't get himself out of the in-goal area, dropout coming up
Tom Dearden's pass isn't a great one, it goes through Holmes' hands and over the sideline
Cleary with his first missed conversion of the night
Panthers are in again and it's one of their slick backline shifts to the right that we've become so used to. Cleary drew in a couple of defenders before getting it out the back to Edwards, who made no mistake with the last pass to To'o, who scores his first of the year
Set restart for PEN
Challenge unsuccessful, Panthers will start the set 35 out from the Cows line
Tom Gilbert knocks on while getting up to play it but Cowboys are challenging
Cowboys hang on, Jarome Luai's kick is too deep for Tago. 7 tackle set coming up for Nth Qld
Valentine Holmes kicks off out on the full, Panthers could blow the Cowboys away with a try here
Cleary connects from out wide
The Panthers won't be denied this time. A left hand shift once again pays dividends, with Luai getting on the outside of Hiku before passing it off to Tago, who threw a prayer on his inside, which allowed Dylan Edwards to execute a great pickup and dive over for his teams second.
Tom Dearden kicks early and it takes a Panthers bounce to go dead. 7 tackle set coming up for the mountain men
Cowboys get a reliving penalty and will now go on the attack
It's a no try, but not for the earlier reason. The obstruction was cleared but Tago dived while he was over the line with his left arm out, bombing a certain try by contacting the touchline with said arm. 7 tackle set for the Cows coming up now, they did very well to defer the Panthers on that many attacking sets
Going upstairs for a possible Panthers try but the ref is sending it upstairs on the basis of an obstruction
Accidental offside against the Cowboys, Panthers will still be on the attack
Cowboys are absolutely turning up for each other in defence. Multiple times they have scrambled to stop what looked to be a near certain try
Cleary's kick is played at by the Cows and then picked up by Yeo. Another fresh set for the home team coming
Jarome Luai's grubber goes dead but not before it collects the hand of a Cowboy. Repeat set for Penrith coming up
Cleary confirmed as held up but the Panthers will get a set restart for offside
Nathan Cleary dummies and goes himself but it looks like he got held up. Ref will send it upstairs
Panthers get a penalty after Chad Townsend runs an escort on a Panther
Kikau absolutely monsters Chad Townsend with a huge hit coming out of the line
Scott Drinkwater knocks on but it's ruled that Tago collected him high after going up for the ball. Cowboys get a penalty
Going upstairs for a possible Panthers try but the ref thinks Scott Drinkwater with interfered with
Coen Hess knocks on while trying to offload, Panthers survive
Valentine Holmes makes a break and gets past Dylan Edwards with ease before being roped in by Izack Tago 20 metres out from the Panthers line.
Nathan Cleary puts it over
It's way too easy for the Panthers, who score with their first attacking opportunity. Apisai Koroisau ran from dummy half and drew in the A defender before putting Isaah Yeo through a hole much bigger than he needed to get to the line
Underway and the Panthers get an early penalty coming out of trouble
Hello and welcome to LeagueUnlimited's coverage of Friday Night Football and to start off we have a top four encounter between the Panthers and Cowboys with both sides coming off convincing wins against quality opposition last week. Both teams are 1-17 from the side named on Tuesday. Kickoff just under 5 minutes away
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch Judges: Phil Henderson, David Munro
Video Referee: Chris Butler
PENRITH PANTHERS (22)
Tries: Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o, Taylan May
Conversions: Nathan Cleary (2/3), Stephen Crichton (1/1)
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (0)