Soward sends Panthers into Preliminary Final

The Penrith Panthers have advanced through the Preliminary Finals with a remarkable, 19-18, victory over the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium. 23,449 watched on from the edge of their seats as the game when down to the final moments.

It started as a scrappy affairs as 19 errors mounted in the first half which limited points until the 25th minute when the Panthers crossed. Josh Mansour finished off a brilliant left side raid as Jamie Soward provided a floater to link with Jamal Idris. Penrith 4-0 leaders mid-way through the first half.

Michael Jennings responded minutes later as he darted between defenders to slam the ball in goal. His points took the Roosters to the lead, 6-4, but it was at the price of a concussion test as he left the field immediately following his try.

It was a poor first half from both sides, a single try for both sides which gave us the two point difference at the break.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall posted first points of the second half as he fooled the Panthers defence and backed his way over for the Roosters second four-pointer. 43 minutes lapsed, Roosters 12-4.

Matt Moylan opened up the Roosters defence which saw Dean Whare fire into a gap and danced his way over for the Panthers second try of the night. Jamie Soward minutes later took a penalty goal on offer to lock the game at 12-all after 57 minutes.

Mitchell Pearce looked to have secured a place in the Preliminary Finals as he sailed into gap of the sliding defence to make it an 18-12 lead with seven minutes left in the contest. Pearce originally shaped for a field goal which caught the Panthers napping on the try line.

It's already been described as one of the greatest try in Rugby League history and it lives up to that title. Dallin Watene Zelezniak somehow threw an offload back in field with millimetres between his boot and the corner post. Dean Whare jumped on the loose ball and locked the game at 18-all with less than three minutes remaining.

Many say Penrith aren't a team full of superstars, however Jamie Soward rose to that status tonight as his field goal in the 80th minute mimicked a similar one from Shaun Timmins in State of Origin.

The Panthers advance to third week of the Finals Series with the Sydney Roosters off to sudden death football next week against either the Cowboys or Broncos depending on results.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (18)
Tries: Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Mitchell Pearce
Field Goals: James Maloney (0/1)
Conversions: James Maloney (3/3)
Penalty Goals:

PENRITH PANTHERS (19)
Tries: Josh Mansour, Dean Whare (2)
Field Goals: Jamie Soward (1/1)
Conversions: Jamie Soward (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Jamie Soward (1/1)

Welcome to Allianz Stadium for the second straight evening as we approach the #NRLFinals first qualifying final (played after the second qualifying final, of course). Let's get into TEAM NEWS. The Roosters have a few, starting with omission of Dylan Napa (suspended) and Heath L'Estrange from the bench. Isaac Liu drops to the bench along with Sam Moa, with Frank Paul Nuuausala starting at lock and Kane Evans coming off the bench to start at prop. Penrith are as per program meaning Dave Simmons drops off the bench.

Moments away from kick off, Penrith Panthers running out in their white alternate jersey.

Anthony Minichiello now leads out the Sydney Roosters for his 300th NRL game

1: We are UNDERWAY at Allianz Stadium in this Qualifying Final! Penrith Panthers kicks off from the boot of Matt Moylan

1: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Kane Evans makes an unforced error.
Kane Evans fumbles the ball in the second carry of the game and the Panthers will get first opportunity from a scrum feed 30 metres out

3: First penalty of the game goes to the Panthers, against James Maloney. Panthers attack 25 metres out

6: Forward pass denied the Panthers a chance down the western sideline. Change over on last tackle for the Roosters at their 20 metre line.

7: Forward pass denies the Roosters, Minichiello continued but it's no try as the originall pass was several metres forward.

8: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
James Segeyaro makes an unforced error.
James Segeyaro makes a meal of the ball at the ruck and the Roosters come up with possession.

9: ON REPORT! Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is penalised for a high tackle on Brent Kite. Penalty gives the Panthers a shot at the try line 10 metres out

10: Jamie Soward's kick for the corner aimed at Josh Mansour is too long, 20 metre tap for the Roosters.

11: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Jamal Idris makes an unforced error.
Jamal Idris is unable to hold to the ball in a two man tackle. Roosters go on the attack on zero tackle 35 metres out

12: Dallin Watene Zelezniak cleans up in goal, line drop out coming up for the Panthers. Daniel Tupou almost coming up with a try with a kick back on the inside.

13: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Boyd Cordner makes an unforced error.
The Video Referee has overturned the original line drop out decision. Boyd Cordner ruled to have knocked on as he chased the inside kick from Tupou. 20m tap for the Panthers now.

13: Jamie Soward's kick is OUT ON THE FULL. Roosters come up with possession as Soward aimed for a 40/20.

14: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Shaun Kenny-Dowall makes an unforced error.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall stepping back on the angle is unable to keep the ball in his hands, he tried to link with Cordner. Matt Moylan cleans up and the Panthers have possession in their red zone.

15: Daniel Tupou watches the long kick from Soward roll dead. Almost a 40/20 again from Soward, however this time it's a scrum for the Roosters.

16: James Maloney swings a kick towards the uprights and it's caused Matt Moylan to slip but luckily it rolls dead. 20 metre tap gives the Panthers possession

17: Dean Whare juggles and offload and the Roosters clean up at the 30 metre line.

19: Brilliant hands from James Maloney, he plucks the kick short off the boot from James Segeyaro. Roosters back in possession.

20: Penalty to the Panthers, Roosters coming up with a hand on the ball. Soward finds the sideline at the mark of the 40 metre line

21: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Jamie Soward makes an unforced error.
Jamie Soward knocks on after an interchanging of passes on last tackle as the Panthers rushed to try and get a play together. Roosters with a change over at the 20 metre line.

24: Matt Moylan away… but caught 30 metres out. Panthers in broken play have the Roosters on the back foot.

25: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Josh Mansour. Kick to come.
Josh Mansour takes a bullet pass form Jamal Idris after Jamie Soward threw a floating pass to his centre. Panthers strike up first points which all started form a bolt from Matt Moylan.

26: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward unsuccessful.
Jamie Soward with the conversion attempt from the eastern sideline pushes it to the left of the posts

28: Penalty follows a zero tackle call after James Segeyaro failed with a short pass. Lewis Brown holding down in the ruck conceded the penalty. Roosters kick for touch and attack 10 metres out

29: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Jamal Idris makes an unforced error.
Jamal Idris wraps around James Maloney who was looking to pass. Knock on ruled. Roosters scrum.

30: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Michael Jennings. Kick to come.
Michael Jennings darted towards the corner and somehow has managed to dive over and plant it down but has copped a concussion on the way through.

31: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney from the western sideline nails the conversion. Meanwhile Michael Jennings has come off with possible concussion after scoring that try

33: Penalty to the Roosters. Dean Whare offside from the kick. Roosters 10 metres out

35: ZERO TACKLE for the Roosters. Tupou cleans up and the Roosters have it 40m out

36: Kick for Tupou is too long, and it's a 20 metre tap for the Panthers

36: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Dean Whare makes an unforced error.
Dean Whare knocks on and the Roosters have zero tackle 10 metres short of half way

37: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Sam Moa makes an unforced error.
Sam Moa takes the first carry from the penalty and he losses the ball in the tackle

38: Anthony Minichiello is forced to retreat back to the in goal to clean up the long kick from Matt Moylan, Roosters with possession in their red zone.

40: HALF TIME at Allianz Stadium sees just two points between the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers in a scrappy contest with errors mounting more than points.

41: Second half is UNDERWAY at Allianz Stadium with the Roosters kicking off and leading the Panthers 6-4

41: Anthony Minichiello comes up brilliant catch and manages to offload and the Roosters have possession first up in the second half middle of their half

42: VIDEO REFEREE for the Roosters, it's NO TRY for Mitchell Pearce

42: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Anthony Minichiello makes an unforced error.
It's NO TRY for the Roosters, RED LIGHTS as Anthony Minichiello jumped for the kick with Matt Moylan and knocked on. Mitchell Pearce is denied and it's a scrum feed 10 metres out for the Panthers

43: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Kick to come.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall fooled the Panthers defence and managed to reach over the try line and plant it down for the Roosters second four-pointer

45: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney with the conversion attempt slots the goal to extend their lead

46: Kick from the Panthers bounces over sideline and it's a scrum for the Roosters deep in their own half

49: Penalty to Roosters, Panthers offside and advantage was played. Roosters 10m out

50: Sneaky from the Casty, but it's a double movement. Penalty Panthers

50: James Maloney is penalised for a elbow to the face. No report given as the Panthers attack inside the Roosters half

52: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Dean Whare. Kick to come.
Dean Whare dances through the broken defence of the Roosters and sails over as Matt Moylan provided the short pass into the hole

54: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Jamie Soward from wide out on the right side of the posts. Panthers still fighting to keep this final alive.

55: Dallin Watene Zelezniak has forced Anthony Minichiello over the sideline. Scrum for the Panthers now 10 metres out

56: Penalty to the Panthers, Mitchell Pearce offside. Penalty goal coming

57: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Jamie Soward draws the game level with a successful penalty goal after Mitchell Pearce was caught offside.

60: Time off here with James Segeyaro, cramp the issue here.

61: Anthony Minichiello is trapped in goal. Line drop out here for the Roosters to give the Panthers a repeat set

62: Minichiello came slipping across and covered up the Matt Moylan grubber, outstanding from the Roosters fullback.

64: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Dallin Watene Zelezniak makes an unforced error.
Dallin Watene Zelezniak had the ball knocked out by Sonny Bill Williams but it's ruled a mistake. Should have been a penalty to the Panthers, however it's a now a scrum for the Roosters

64: Penalty to the Panthers, obstruction is the call.

66: Dallin Watene Zelezniak almost coming across for points as a kick opened up the far side, however it's a change over at the 10 metre line for the Roosters

70: TEN MINUTES left and it's a line drop out for the Panthers. James Maloney has come off the field with an ankle injury.

71: NO TRY! Josh Mansour trying to back over the line. Change over, at the 10 metre line for the Roosters

72: Penalty Roosters! Too long in the ruck. Roosters attacking 30m out from the touch finder

74: VIDEO REFEREE for the ROOSTERS! TRY for Pearce. Looking at obstruction here

73: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Mitchell Pearce. Kick to come.
Mitchell Pearce gets the GREEN LIGHTS as he dances into a hole as he shaped for a field goal! Incredible play from the half back

74: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
James Maloney is back on the field after coming straight from the interchange after the try was scored. Similar situations to the Corey Parker incident two weeks ago.

75: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Field goal attempt by James Maloney unsuccessful.
James Maloney aims for the field goal but it's just wide of the posts. 20m tap for the Panthers

77: VIDEO REFEREE for the Panthers! This is going to be incredible!! WE HAVE TRY!

77: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Dean Whare. Kick to come.
Dean Whare has taken an incredible offload from Dallin Watene Zelezniak as DWZ was going over the sideline. This is the TRY of the season for the Panthers. We could be locked up again

78: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Jamie Soward nails the conversion attempt from the sideline and we are locked up again!

78: Jamie Soward aims for the corner and Tupou made a meal of the ball but come up with possession. Field goal is going to an option here

79: UNFORCED ERROR SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Michael Jennings makes an unforced error.
Michael Jennings has fumbled the ball in the ruck! It's going to be a scrum feed here for the Panthers. Time off with 52 seconds left

80: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL PENRITH PANTHERS
Field goal attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Jamie Soward aims for the FIELD GOAL AND NAILS IT!

80: Time off! We have FIVE SECONDS LEFT!

80: FULL TIME at Allianz Stadium and the Penrith Panthers are through to the Preliminary Finals with a 19-18 victory over the Sydney Roosters