Heartbreak for the Warriors

A golden point field goal by James Maloney has sunk the Warriors at Mt Smart, sealing a 19-18 result after scores were locked at the end of 80 minutes.

It came after a dramatic finish to the regulation period. A 75-metre try to Panthers centre Brent Naden looked to have won the game with three minutes to go, before Patrick Herbert stepped up and landed a 40 metre penalty goal to level the scores as time ran out.

Earlier, Peta Hiku had given the home side the perfect start, running off some good work by Blake Green and Kodi Nikorima to score in the corner in only the fifth minute.

However, the Panthers struck back after 19 minutes. Big prop James Tamou, a NZ Maori representative, sparked one attacking raid with an outrageous offload. Then, after a repeat set, former Warriors James Maloney skirted across the field to find Tamou to straighten up and score under the posts. Maloney converted to give the Panthers a 6-4 lead.

The Warriors again pressed down the same edge that they had scored from originally, and looked to have scored after a good hit up by Adam Blair. Karl Lawton dived over from the play the ball, but was adjudged to have used Blair as an obstacle in doing so by the bunker, so the try was disallowed.

A string of penalties then kept the Warriors on the attack, and finally they opted to take the two points on offer for Patrick Herbert to lock up the scores with eight minutes remaining in the half.

Then, after yet another run of penalties, the referees had no option but to send Liam Martin to the sin bin for persistent infringements. The Warriors cashed in on the ensuing set, with Bunty Afoa smashing his way through to score next to the posts and give them the lead as the half ended.

The second half started with some drama, first Naden was denied by the bunker after appearing to score, then Jarome Luai became the Panthers’ second man in the bin after he committed another professional foul. All the Warriors had to do was spin the ball wide, and David Fusitu’a scored a spectacular try in the corner to extend the lead to 16-6.

However, once they got Martin back the Panthers marched down the field for Naden to make up for his disallowed try earlier. The centre plucked a Maloney kick out of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s hands to touch down and close the gap back up.

From there the game settled into a serious arm wrestle, and the Warriors lost Nathaniel Roache to a knee injury with 15 minutes to go. The Panthers had the better of the possession from then on in, but couldn’t crack some inspired defence by the home side.

However, with five minutes to go, Naden drifted past the outside edge and set sail on his way for what should have been the winning try. But then the Panthers found themselves offside at the kickoff, which gave Herbert his chance to lock things up and send the game to golden point.

The result means the Warriors drop down to 11th on the ladder, with their next game against the Knights next weekend in Newcastle.

Panthers 19 (B Naden 2, J Tamou tries; J Maloney 3 goals)

Warriors 18 (P Hiku, B Afoa, D Fusitu’a tries; P Herbert 3 goals)

HT: 12-6 Warriors