A TRY to Jed Betts with 15 seconds remaining sealed a thrilling Bathurst Panthers victory against Cowra at Sid Kallas Oval on Sunday to keep their good run of Group 10 premier league form going.
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A sideline conversion from Jeremy Gordon, following Mitch Davis’ second try of the game, locked the scores at 24-all with three minutes remaining in the round seven clash.
After the restart, Cowra lost possession and Panthers worked their way into field-goal territory.
Gordon’s attempt was blocked by Cowra skipper Ronald Lawrence, but with less than a minute remaining, Betts managed to brush off multiple defenders and stride over next to the posts.
Goal-kicking had threatened to come back to haunt the Panthers after it cost them an earlier match against Blayney.
Their captain-coach Todd Barrow was pleased to come away with the competition points, especially after a performance that didn’t please him.
“It was a pretty scrappy game, so to get the points there at the end is a good one,” Barrow said.
“They’re a good footy side. That one could have gone either way.”
Cowra were fast out of the blocks. Desi Doolan scored the opening try, which was converted by Caley Mok, who didn’t miss an attempt all day.
Panthers struck back when Jeremy Gordon went in untouched on the left edge, Claude Gordon adding the extras.
Cowra were on the attack when Panthers winger Bradyn Cassidy judged an intercept to perfection and ran 50 metres to give his side a four-point advantage.
The momentum, however, continued to swing.
A towering Cameron Breust bomb was allowed to bounce and the gun half regathered under the posts for Mok to add the extras.
Moments later the fresh legs of Mitch Browne won a race to the in-goal, where he touched down Warren Williams’ grubber, and Cowra’s lead was extended to eight points.
Panthers piled on the pressure, but the Magpies repelled their attack in the final moments of the half.
The visitors scored back-to-back tries in the opening 13 minutes of the second half, but both went unconverted, meaning the scores were 18-all.
Breust scored his second with 20 minutes remaining and the Magpies were back in front, with a converted try the difference.
Both sides traded attacking raids inside their respective halves, but it wasn’t until the 75th minute that Mitch Davis found the line out wide on the left wing.
Jeremy Gordon took the goal-kicking duties and he never looked like missing from the sideline, locking the scores at 24-all.
Panthers found favourable territory inside the final minute and Betts’ try handed Panthers their fourth victory of the year.
Cowra captain Ronald Lawrence said it was a game his side “100 per cent” should have won, but added that there were positives to take away.
“It was a bit disappointing at the end. We should have at least held onto a draw, but anyway, that’s football,” he said.
“Not playing for the full 80 minutes is really hurting us. It’s probably the longest we’ve been in a game other than our win in Lithgow the other week.”
BATHURST PANTHERS 30 (Mitch Davis 2, Jeremy Gordon, Bradyn Cassidy, Blake Lawson, Jed Betts tries; Jeremy Gordon 2, Claude Gordon goals) defeated COWRA MAGPIES 24 (Cameron Breust 2, Desi Doolan, Mitch Browne tries; Caley Mok 4 goals)