RUGBY LEAGUE
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LIKE almost all their games this season, there were positives for Bathurst Panthers in their Group 10 premier league match against Cowra on Saturday but they ultimately had no competition points to show for their efforts.
A pair of former Panthers in Tim Holman and Jeremy Gordon both starred for the Magpies, along with their captain Ron Lawrence, as the men in black gave up an early lead to lose 28-16 at Sid Kallas Oval.
For the majority of the game John Fearnley's side were in the contest against an outfit who have snuck into the top three with little fanfare.
But as has been the case throughout 2014, Panthers could not sustain 80 minutes of their best football. They now find themselves in the dreaded scenario of relying on other teams to lose if they want to play finals football.
"It is disappointing that we're in that situation given that we've been in a position to win nearly every game we've played," Fearnley said.
"Cowra are a good side, they are going to be extremely hard for anyone to beat when they're at home in particular.
"But we hurt ourselves again with our handling and couldn't build pressure on their defence - same old story."
Coming off their last-gasp win over Oberon in the previous round, Panthers were the first to score.
However, but midway through the first half the momentum swung as Matt Rose spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Without their five-eighth, the visitors let in two quick tries and the Magpies assumed control of the match.
With Lawrence giving them plenty of go-forward, Cowra stayed in front for the remainder of the game though the Bathurst side did manage to regroup and turn the second half into an arm wrestle.
However, there was to be no comeback as every time they were challenged, Cowra responded and in the last 20 minutes their defence could not be breached.
Returning from injury, captain Brent Seager was back in his usual form to be one of the best for his side, while Fearnley praised the efforts of young duo Joey Bugg and Jake Betts.
"Those three were all very good again," the coach said.
"We were a lot better in the second half than we were in the first, which is a good thing, but you can't afford to just drift in and out of games the way we do.
"Oscar [Osea Sadrau] was a lot better for the run that he had the week before, he was very good as well so that's a positive we can take out of it."
COWRA MAGPIES 28 defeated BATHURST PANTHERS 16