ROUND 10
Fri 13 May 2005
7:30PM
WIN Stadium
Referee: Paul Simpkins
Crowd: 12,392

Scorers:
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 34
Tries: Cooper 2, Thompson, Gasnier, Barrett, Best
Goals: Gasnier 2/2, Gorrell 3/4
PENRITH PANTHERS 12
Tries: Lewis, Rooney, Pomeroy
Goals: Campbell 0/3

Live commentary:

Welcome to WIN Stadium for an enticing clash between the 12th-placed Dragons and the 8th-placed Panthers.

The Panthers will be running with a decent breeze behind them for the first half. No late changes to report for either team, so we're all ready to rock and roll!

0 min: KICKOFF!

2 min: TRY - Panthers
Luke Lewis takes a great pass from Craig Gower to cross untouched in the corner.
Preston Campbell's conversion is waved away.
Dragons 0 Panthers 4

6 min: Luke Priddis (Panthers) has knocked-on from the Dragons restart, but the Panthers are able to hold the Dragons out. Luke Lewis (Panthers) has taken a nasty knock in a tackle.

10 min: TRY - Dragons
Lance Thompson dots down in the corner after an amazing passage of attacking play from the Dragons, featuring some sparkling passes and two bombs - even one from Luke Bailey!
Mark Gasnier's conversion attempt is a ripper.
Dragons 6 Panthers 4

14 min: The Dragons are starting to hit their straps and are putting the Panthers under all sorts of pressure.

20 min: Worrying signs for the Mountain Men here tonight - even though the match is only 20 minutes old, the Panthers are already looking a bit tired. Only Dragons errors are keeping the match close at this stage.

25 min: 40/20 kick by Craig Gower - great chance here for the Panthers.

27 min: Ben Pomeroy (Panthers) is caught on the last tackle just metres away from the try-line.

34 min: The Dragons have had all the ball for the last seven minutes, forcing three consecutive goal-line dropouts.

35 min: Luke Lewis defuses a Barrett bomb, and the Panthers finally have some possession.

37 min: TRY - Panthers
Luke Rooney crosses out wide, and somehow the Panthers will survive a horrible first 40 and take a lead into half-time.
Preston Campbell misses with the extras.
Dragons 6 Panthers 8

40 min: HALF-TIME. The Dragons had one last chance on the Panthers line following a Luke Swain knock-on, but couldn't come up with the goods.

Well, what a strange game this has been so far! The Panthers have managed to steal a 2 point lead when it looked like the Dragons should have been leading by 20+. Errors and penalties are hurting both sides chances, with Luke Priddis already having received a warning for constant off-side infringements.

Luke Bailey, Dean Young & Ben Hornby have been the pick of the Dragons so far, while Craig Gower is having a whopper of a game for the Panthers.

The second half is underway ...

44 min: Both teams have lifted their intensity so far, with some great end-to-end plays.

Video ref is checking a possible Panthers try ...

48 min: NO TRY - Panthers
Luke Lewis is ruled held up over the line as the Panthers show some spark, but the Dragons defence holds on.

51 min: TRY - Dragons
Mark Gasnier scores a great try, beating several attempted tackles - but a knock-on at dummy half by Shaun Timmins has been missed by the refs in the lead-up play.
Aaron Gorrell misses with the conversion attempt.
Dragons 10 Panthers 8

58 min: Two different teams seem to have come out of the sheds after half-time. The match has really opened up, with plenty of metres being made by both sides.

60 min: TRY - Dragons
Matt Cooper scores from a great Dean Young pass. Young set up the field position himself with a 40-metre break off his own line.
Aaron Gorrell lands a crucial conversion.
Dragons 16 Panthers 8

Video ref checking a possible Dragons try ...

62 min: NO TRY - Dragons
Rhys Wesser drops a Barrett bomb after pressure from Dragons players who are deemed off-side. Aaron Gorrell crossed the line, but the video ref vetoes the try.

64 min: TRY - Dragons
No mistake this time as Trent Barrett strolls through a gaping hole and runs 30 metres to score.
Aaron Gorrell's kick is another beauty from the touch-line.
Dragons 22 Panthers 8

68 min: Frank Pritchard (Panthers) is placed on report for ironing out Nick Youngquest.

Video ref checking another possible Dragons try ...

69 min: TRY - Dragons
Colin Best squeezes past Luke Lewis to force a good grubber kick from Trent Barrett.
Aaron Gorrell lands another great conversion.
Dragons 28 Panthers 8

71 min: TRY - Dragons
Matt Cooper grabs his second as the Dragons are now really putting Penrith to the sword.
Mark Gasnier slots an easy conversion from in front.
Dragons 34 Panthers 8

75 min: Line-breaks are currently 9-3 in the Dragons favour. Crowd figure tonight is 12,392.

79 min: TRY - Panthers
Ben Pomeroy grabs a consolation try for the Panthers.
Preston Campbell's conversion attempt is a shocker.
Dragons 34 Panthers 12

FULL TIME - Dragons 34, Panthers 12
A great second half performance from the Dragons, who stepped up several gears after a lack-lustre first half performance. Penrith (and especially Craig Gower) tried hard, but certainly lacked the spark of their opposition tonight.

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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Dean Young (Dragons)
2 - Luke Bailey (Dragons)
1 - Craig Gower (Panthers)
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