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IT WAS a fairy-tale finish for the Candelo-Bemboka Pink Panthers on Sunday.
The newly-formed women’s roster secured its first win in scintillating style over the Eden Tigerettes 14-10.
Played at Eden’s George Brown Memorial Oval, it was the visiting Panthers gaining ascension early on the scoreboard.
Solid plays through the ruck saw Caitlin Johnson make a break towards the left wing.
She made a cut out pass to her winger Amy Barker, who was able to step by her opposite and dash down the sideline to score the opening try.
Johnson set up Barker again in the ensuing set, but the try deep in the corner was disallowed.
For the next 15 minutes play fluctuated through the middle as both sides completed their sets.
Shortly before the break it was again Johnson working with Chloe Dunning and Leonie Balcomb to push play forward where Bec Darcy found herself through a gap.
Darcy outran the Eden defenders to score under the posts.
With a successful kick, the Pink Panthers were clear in the lead 10-0.
Not to be outdone, Eden made its own sweeping play to the left.
A quick offload found Madeline Newton open on the wing to score, 10-4.
There was a positive half-time talk for the Pink Panthers where the team was told to get its head back in the game, focus on defence and keep out any Eden tries.
A fifth tackle kick deep in Eden’s half saw the Tigerettes in their own try zone, a dropped ball was tapped on the feet of Moon and Emma Backhouse, who planted it to score 14-4.
However, Eden favourite Madeline Newton was wreaking havoc with incisive runs.
The youngster made a 40-metre sprint through a gap to score under the posts.
A successful kick put Eden back in reach 14-10.
With just minutes left to play the Pink Panthers were awarded a penalty outside of Eden’s 20.
The club opted for a kick at goal to seal a six-point lead, but the ball bounded off the posts.
The Panthers slowed down play as they repelled increasingly desperate raids by the Tigerettes.
Strong defensive efforts came from captain Emma Irvin, Chloe Lucas and Emma Backhouse, who were described as “tagging machines” by their team-mates.
The Tigerettes were on their fifth tackle just short of the line when the siren sounded, a quick tag on a slow play-the-ball ensured the Panthers their first Group 16 win.
The reserve grade also had a narrow two-point win over the Eden Tigers in a last-minute thriller.
The Panthers had led 14-4 at the break, but strong plays on the left wing saw Eden post three quick tries to take the lead.
Things looked dire as the home side cleared its conversion kicks.
Grant Moon had crashed the ball over the line to keep the Panthers in the hunt.
Unfortunately the missed shot on goal kept the club behind 18-20.
With minutes to play the Panthers made a strong run up the ruck.
Getting inside the 10, Heywood Fraser ran hard on the ball and shoved his way through four defenders to plant the ball on the line.
Again the kick drifted wide, but was enough for the Panthers to win 22-20.