Western Suburbs Magpies have narrowly missed a crucial win in their NSW Cup finals push, going down 28-24 in a thrilling contest against the Penrith Panthers on Saturday afternoon at Lidcombe Oval.
Match: Magpies v Panthers
Round 20 -
home Team
Magpies
10th Position
away Team
Panthers
5th Position
Venue: Lidcombe Oval, Sydney
In a match loaded with finals implications, the Magpies pushed the fifth-placed Panthers all the way, clawing back from a 16-point deficit to set up a grandstand finish, only to be denied in the final seconds.
The Panthers opened the scoring in the 20th minute through crafty dummy-half Luke Sommerton, before extending their lead to 10-0 with a try to winger Asu Kepaoa, who crossed for his 16th four-pointer of the season.
The Magpies hit back in spectacular fashion when Alex Lobb finished off a slick right-edge play with a flying dive into the corner, sending the home crowd into voice. But the second half started in nightmare fashion, with David Fale scoring in the 42nd minute, before a long-range effort saw John Fonua finish off a 90-metre intercept raid to stretch the margin to 22-6.
Western Suburbs responded through a determined barge-over try to Peter Taateo, cutting the deficit back to 10. But another try against the run of play - this time by Panthers five-eighth Nick Murphy - proved costly, as he ran 80 metres to score next to the posts and restore the visitors' advantage.
With the visitors down to 12 men after Riley Price was sin-binned in the 67th minute, the Magpies surged late. Elie El-Zakhem powered over in the 73rd minute before Solomona Faataape added another just three minutes later, bringing the score to 28-24 with time ticking down.
The Magpies launched one final attack in the dying seconds, forcing repeat sets and testing the Panthers' scrambling defence. But a last-play kick from Kurt Falls was defused by Penrith, sealing the win for the visitors and leaving Wests to rue what might have been.
With the loss, Western Suburbs remain in ninth place on the ladder - now five points adrift of the top five - but showed the type of form and spirit that will make them a tough opponent down the stretch.
Panthers 28 (Sommerton, Kepaoa, Fale, Fonua, Murphy tries; Toelau 4/5 goals) defeated Magpies 24 (Lobb, Taateo, El-Zakhem, Faataape tries; Falls 4/4 goals) at Lidcombe Oval.
