Panthers win another nailbiter in final minutes
A 79th-minute field goal to Peter Wallace gave Penrith a thrilling 19-18 NRL win over Canberra, continuing their remarkable recent run of close contests.
The Panthers looked headed for a second straight heartbreaking defeat when Jordan Rapana levelled the score with his second try in the 74th minute.
Both Aidan Sezer and Jamie Soward missed shots at field goal in the final five minutes, before Wallace nailed the 25metre game-winner in Bathurst. His one-pointer comes two years after tearing his ACL on the same ground.
Down 18-6 with 11 minutes remaining, Raiders forward Paul Vaughan started the comeback with a try from close range, before Rapana soared over Peta Hiku to give the visitors all the momentum.
But the Panthers held on for a thrilling win, meaning all nine of their games this season have been decided in the final five minutes.
The Panthers did their best to keep the Raiders in the game, turning the ball over four times in a row in sets coming off their own line in the second half. PENRITH Tries: Goals: CANBERRA Tries: Goals: Referees:
Twice the Raiders were held up over the line, while Edrick Lee also spurned a third opportunity when he dropped a Jarrod Croker offload with the tryline in sight. He was denied a controversial late try as well, due to double movement.
Panthers second-rower Bryce Cartwright earlier set up a 12-6 half-time lead by scoring the first and setting up a second try for makeshift centre Tyrone Peachey.
He opened the scoring by racing 80 metres after picking up an airswing by returning Raiders star Blake Austin.
The Raiders replied through Rapana, who accepted a miracle offload from Joseph Leilua in the 14th minute, before Cartwright regained the lead with a similar effort in the 24th.