Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
DESPITE trailing 20-4 at the half-time break, the Candelo-Bemboka Panthers never gave up.
Eden dominated the early passages of play with some handling errors proving costly to the Panthers.
The score was 10-0 before the Panthers could stem the flow of points and put their own try on the board.
However, the Tigers continued exerting dominance on the first half to clean up a pair of tries before the break.
Momentum shifted in a huge way in the second half as the Panthers fought back.
Both sides scored a try and it was difficult to tell whether Eden would seal the deal or if the Panthers had some fight left.
At 24-8, it turned out to be the latter as the Panthers rallied their efforts.
Eden suddenly found itself in trouble as the Tigers were bombarded by penalties for head high tackles and off-sides.
Repeatedly, the Eden squad was penalised and the Panthers gained valuable metres.
Successive tries to the Panthers saw tempers hitting a fever pitch.
With the scores nearly level, things really started to look ominous for the Tigers and the teal members of the crowd were rising to their feet.
It was deafening on the sidelines as the Panthers pushed forward penalty after penalty and edged themselves closer to the try-line.
A thunderous roar from the crowd erupted as Bemboka levelled the score, then kicked a penalty goal to be two points ahead.
At 26-24 down, Eden boiled over and a number of players were sin-binned.
However, the shortage on the field just added to Eden's woes as Candelo-Bemboka continued to pressure the line with 10 minutes left to play.
The Panthers then set about some defensive sets as Eden valiantly rallied some clever right-wing runs.
Ultimately, it was the Panthers' day as the squad picked up an intercept and scored on the left touch line to seal the deal 30-24.