THE Bathurst Panthers have celebrated the 1994 and 1997 Bathurst Penguins first grade premierships by jumping to the top of the Group 10 premier league ladder after defeating Blayney on Saturday.
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Panthers won the clash 34-22 in arctic conditions at Carrington Park, and with the other three games for the round all postponed due to the heavy rain on the various venues, they occupy top spot for the time being.
Though their rivals Oberon, St Pat’s and Orange CYMS will get the chance to make up those games, Panthers will avoid the hassle of trying to fit another match into their schedule.
The Bears were not disgraced in the loss, coming back a couple of times from positions where it appeared they would be blown off the park to get to within 24-22 with 10 minutes to play.
At that stage Panthers lost hooker Nick Loader to the sin bin for a professional foul and the visitors looked more than capable of their second win against Panthers this season.
Instead, one of the best team tries of the year snuffed out their revival.
“It was sloppy, the conditions had a lot to do with that, but when we held the ball we were quite good tonight,” Panthers captain-coach Todd Barrow said.
“Blayney are a side who are known to just keep coming at you and when we got down to 12 men late in the match there were a few nerves.
“We had a lot of guys back here this weekend celebrating those two Penguins titles in the 1990s and it was great to get a win for them.”
Wearing one-off jerseys modelled on the 1997 Penguins strip, Panthers unveiled a new signing on their bench: ex-St Pat’s premiership prop Wade Judd.
The former Oberon captain-coach has been signed to help offset the anticipated absence of Brent Seager at various stages due to work commitments.
Panthers scored just two minutes into the game thanks to Jye Barrow, while the Bears hit back when Ryan Oborn swooped on a loose pass to run 70 metres and score.
Two tries in quick time to Jed Betts and Trent Hotham gave Panthers a 14-4 lead after 27 minutes and the hosts looked to be on the road to a big win.
Half Luke Petrie scored a solo try to keep Blayney in touch, but after Judd won his team a penalty, Betts scored his second, and Jeremy Gordon’s conversion made it 20-10 at half-time.
The two sides exchanged mistakes after the break before Jake Betts scored a crafty try from the back of a scrum. With the score at 24-10 with 23 minutes to play, it seemed as though Panthers were starting to reach safety.
Lachlan Hobby was not giving up, though, scoring in the right corner and converting to get his side within eight, and when Loader was marched to the bin for laying too long in a tackle after a Blayney break, the Bears had a real sniff.
Chris Rainbow duly went over and so did Hobby’s conversion to make it a two-point game.
With Blayney finishing the stronger, Panthers suddenly sprung to life and after Gordon sent play to the left, Jye Barrow and Callum Young exchanged offloads before a final speculator from Barrow landed in Gordon’s lap.
He crossed, and converted, and for good measure he scored a second try two minutes from full-time.
The Betts siblings were strong for Panthers, as were Ben Gunn and Judd off the bench, while Petrie and Rainbow were good for Blayney, whose battle with Mudgee for fifth spot takes on added interest.
“Juddy made a big difference in that game. His experience and his talk in the middle of the field is very valuable and as soon as I realised we were down to 12 men I wanted him out there in that situation,” Barrow said.
BATHURST PANTHERS 34 (Jeremy Gordon 2, Jed Betts 2, Jake Betts, Trent Hotham, Jye Barrow tries; Gordon 3 goals) defeated BLAYNEY 22 (Ryan Oborn, Luke Petrie, Chris Rainbow, Lachlan Hobby tries; Hobby 3 goals)