Panthers prevail in a thriller

The Penrith Panthers have prevailed in a point scoring shoot out tonight defeating the Brisbane Broncos 35-34 in front of 12,439 supporters at Sportingbet Stadium.

The Panthers came out firing off all cylinders tonight crossing twice in the opening eight minutes with tries to Elijah Taylor and Matt Moylan, giving their team an early 12-0 lead which surely had alarm bells ringing for the visitors.

The pendulum would soon swing the way of the visitors though who would dominate the game for most of the first half. Broncos winger Dale Copley would be the first to score for Brisbane in the 14th minute after backing up a break from Josh Hoffman who burst onto an inside pass from Hodges. Parker nailed the sideline conversion to reduce the deficit to six.

In the 34th minute, Bronco's half Ben Hunt drifted across field showing the ball in one hand before slicing through and throwing a nicely timed pass back on the inside for Hodges to score under the posts. Parker made no mistake with the easy conversion to level the scores at 12 all.

From the ensuing set of six, Brisbane received a penalty and marched downfield for replacement hooker Jake Granville to crash over for an easy try out of dummy half, giving his team what looked to be an 18-12 lead heading into the break.

Penrith had other ideas however and came up with perhaps the try of the night. Moylan stepped off his left foot just short of halfway and offloaded for Jamie Soward who turned on the pace racing downfield before putting on a flick pass for Kevin Naiqama to score n the corner. Soward hit it sweetly from the sideline to level the scores at halftime.

Penrith would open the scoring in the second half through centre Dean Whare who crossed after collecting the scraps from a Soward bomb. Soward, who put on a goal kicking clinic tonight converted to give his team a six point lead in the 48th minute.

Penrith crossed twice more with Naiqama claiming his second in the 54th minute and Lewis Brown crossing in the 60th minute giving Penrith what looked an unassailable 34-18 lead.

The momentum would again swing though with Bronco's centre Jack Reed playing a big hand in his side's comeback, crossing himself in the 66th minute before setting up one for his winger Daniel Vidot with a grubber behind the line in the 71st minute reducing the deficit to just six, setting up a grandstand finish.

It was Corey Oates who completed the comeback in the 79th minute after running onto a short ball from Hunt to score. Parker levelled the scores and the game looked set for golden point, but in one final twist Josh McGuire dropped the ball running it back from the kick off and it was all the opportunity the home team required. Matt Moylan capped off an outstanding game with the match winning field goal.

The win looks to have come at a cost for Penrith with Josh Mansour(ankle) and Tyrone Peachey(pectoral) sustaining injuries.

Next week the Panthers head to Allianz Stadium in a big Saturday afternoon clash with the Roosters while the Broncos will head home to face an in-form Warriors outfit on Saturday night.

PENRITH PANTHERS (35)
Tries: Elijah Taylor, Matt Moylan, Kevin Naiqama (2), Dean Whare, Lewis Brown
Field Goals: Matt Moylan (1/1)
Conversions: Jamie Soward (5/6)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (34)
Tries: Dale Copley, Justin Hodges, Jake Granville, Jack Reed, Daniel Vidot, Corey Oates
Conversions: Corey Parker (5/6)

Welcome to the foot of the mountains for a big Monday night clash between the Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos. Both teams should be desperate for 2 valuable premiership points. The Panthers can move back to equal 1st on the ladder with a win tonight, while the Broncos can move to equal 4th. Penrith will be looking to overcome the loss of halfback and captain Peter Wallace tonight, looking for Jamie Soward to step up and steer the ship. For Brisbane, look for a big game from Sam Thaiday backing up from Origin playing game 200 in the NRL.

LATE MAIL- Penrith will line up 1-17 as named earlier in the week.

LATE MAIL- Matt Gillett is out tonight after failing to back up with an ankle injury suffered in Origin 3.
Corey Oates moves in to the run on team with Jake Granville being added to the bench.

1: Were under way at Sportingbet Stadium with Brisbane getting 1st use

2: Were under way at Sportingbet Stadium with Brisbane getting 1st use

5: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Elijah Taylor. Kick to come.
Penrith cross early with Taylor picking up the scraps from a cross field kick

6: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward adds the extras

8: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Matt Moylan. Kick to come.
Moylan crosses after breaking through

8: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward converts again

15: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Dale Copley. Kick to come.
Copley is over after backing up a break from Hoffman

16: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker adds the extras from the sideline

19: Repeat set for Brisbane with Barba grubbering it through and Moylan knocking it dead

19: Penalty Bris, 20 out from Penrith line

20: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Ben Hunt makes an unforced error.
Hunt loses it whilst trying to put a kick in

22: Penalty Penrith, theyl have it deep in Brisbane's half

27: Both teams completing their sets well at the moment. Penrith have it 10 out from their own line

29: Hunt makes a half break and offloads for Barba who kicked ahead for himself, but Penrith clean up the loose ball

31: Crunching tackle by Todd Lowrie

34: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Justin Hodges. Kick to come.
Hodges backs up a break from Ben Hunt with a nice dummy down the right

35: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker levels the scores

35: Penalty Brisbane, they have it 40 out from Penrith line

36: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jake Granville. Kick to come.
Granville is on and crashes over from dummy half

39: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker adds the extras from in front

40: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
Moylan steps and offloads for Soward who puts the foot down and flick passing for Naiqama back on the inside to score

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward converts from the sideline

40: After an electric start from the Panthers scoring 2 tries in the first 10 minutes, the pendulum would quickly swing the way of the Broncos who the running for most of the half. The Panthers hit back with a classy play right on halftime though to set up what should be a cracking second half. The Panthers will have to do it the hard way. Josh Mansour and Tyrone Peachey suffered injuries in the 1st half and neither look like they'll be back tonight.

42: Were underway in the 2nd half

43: Moylan comes up with a great catch, flying high to take a bomb

45: Hoffman puts another high ball up, but Penrith clean up the bouncing ball

47: A good stepping run from Moylan after again defusing a Broncos bomb

48: VIDEO REF for a possible Panthers Try, ref has signalled try...

50: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Dean Whare. Kick to come.
Try for Whare after Segeyaro went up to catch Soward's bomb and passed for Cartwright who through a basketball pass over the top for Whare to cross in the corner

51: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward kicks another from the sideline, striking them well tonight

51: 6 more for Penrith, they are peppering Barba with their kicks

52: VIDEO REF for a possible Penrith try, checking for obstruction

53: NO TRY obstruction is the ruling

52: Moylan takes another bomb & Penrith will have to work it from their own end

53: Penalty against Parker who raced up to put a hit on but was inside the 10

54: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Kevin Naiqama. Kick to come.
TRY for Naiqama who finishes off a neat backline move

56: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward again from the sideline!

57: Soward puts up a high ball & Barba fumbles it back, Broncos under pressure working it out from their line

59: Penalty against Josh McGuire for holding down too long. Penrith will be on the attack deep in Brisbane's half

60: VIDEO REF again for a Panthers try...

60: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Lewis Brown. Kick to come.
Vidot fumbles a Soward cross field kick & Cartwright picked up the scraps and passed for Brown to crash over

60: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward unsuccessful.
Soward finally misses one

64: Brisbane trying to play catch up footy now, but Penrith clean up a loose ball

65: Adam Docker walks up the tunnel to undergo his second concussion test in as many weeks

66: Soward tries a chip over the top but McGuire cleans it up for Brisbane. Penalty Brisbane, they'll get a chance to attack now

66: Another penalty for Brisbane

67: VIDEO REF for a possible Broncos try

67: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jack Reed. Kick to come.
Reed barges his way over in the corner

68: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Parker hooks it to the right but the Broncos have a sniff now

70: Hodges throws a cut out pass to Copley who cant hang onto it. Panthers scrum 45 out from Brisbane line

71: VIDEO REF for a Panthers try

71: NO TRY, Segeyaro made a slashing run, but comes up with a double movement whilst trying to score

71: VIDEO REF possible Broncos try

71: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Daniel Vidot. Kick to come.
Vidot picks up a grubber from Jack Reed to score

71: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker hits it sweetly from the sideline, Game On!

73: Broncos make 80 that set, but Hunt gets caught with the ball on the last

74: Soward gets taken into touch 15 out from Brisbane's line

76: Lewis Brown comes up with a good tackle on Hodges shutting down a Broncos play, but Cartwright came in with a high shot and Brisbane get the penalty

77: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Sam Thaiday makes an unforced error.
Thaiday loses the ball looking for a quick play the ball

78: Soward grubbers it into touch trying to wind the clock down. Brisbane scrum 25 out from their own line

78: Hodges chips over the top & Brisbane get 6 more...

79: VIDEO REF Broncos try...

79: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Corey Oates. Kick to come.
Oates crashes over running onto a short ball

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker successful.
Parker converts and were all tied up!

80: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Field goal attempt by Matt Moylan successful.
McGuire knocked on bringing the ball back and Matt Moylan knocks over the winning field goal from 25 out!

80: FULLTIME at the foot of the mountains and Penrith have gotten out of jail to win that back after a stunning comeback from Brisbane. Thanks for joining us tonight, stay tuned for the match report