BATHURST Panthers had the better share of field position in Sunday’s Group 10 match against Oberon Tigers but they couldn’t return home with a victory.
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Tigers centre Jackson Brien made Panthers pay for a string of missed second half opportunities by scoring the match-winning try inside the final five minutes, helping Oberon towards a 24-16 win.
Panthers held a 16-14 lead from the 65th minute before Brien’s try near the left corner post wrestled the lead back.
Oberon ended the game on a high by claiming the ball on the Panthers’ short kick off and scoring later in the set through Tui Oloapu.
The physical nature of the match left its toll on Panthers’ Jye Barrow and Wade Judd who have suffered jaw and ankle injuries respectively.
Poor kicking also came back to bite the Panthers. They did not make a successful conversion all match.
Tigers had fielded one of their strongest teams since the start of the season and it showed on the defensive end of the field.
“We played it patches. We set the platform, held the ball, kicked long and took those early opportunities. To lead 12-4 at half-time after Panthers were down in our half for so long was great,” Tigers player-coach Luke Branighan said.
“They were down our end a lot in the second half as well. They really had us there at one stage. The best thing is that I know this side still has a few gears.
“We had a massive injury toll from the West Wyalong and Bathurst knockouts so today was the first time we’ve been at full strength.”
Panthers player-coach Doug Hewitt was proud of the way his team battled in the face of a depleted bench.
“By the end we had one bloke on the bench and three blokes playing out of position. I can’t fault our effort,” he said.
“They got that flow on and it’s hard to stop these boys when they’re like that, especially with that crowd behind them.”
Oberon made an electric start when Brenton Gibson caught a Panthers bomb and offloaded to centre Abel Lefaoseu, who ran almost 80 metres down the field.
Lefaoseu found Ben McAlpine in support and the Tigers fullback converted his own try in the 10th minute.
Panthers’ Josh Rivett responded 10 minutes later when he got on the end of a kick to the right corner but the Tigers hit back quickly through Brien for an eight point lead at half-time.
Tigers made a horror start to their second half when an error allowed Panthers forward Blake Seager to score.
A McAlpine penalty goal pushed the gap out to a converted try but history repeated for the hosts when another error allowed the Panthers to pounce with a second Rivett try.
Seager also completed his brace, earned on the back of a Trent Hotham intercept, before the Tigers hit back with their magic finish.
Brien and Oloapu’s tries took Oberon to their third straight win.
