Match Reports
Panthers Progress to Preliminary Final
The Sawtell Panthers first grade have beaten the Coffs Harbour Comets by 48 points to 10 at Rex Hardaker Oval to move into the preliminary final next. The Panthers completely dominated the Comets in the first half and went to the sheds leading 28-0. The half time score was set up by great defence and in the first 15 minutes of play the Comets were pinned deep in their own half. The Panthers completed 19 of 21 sets and controlled the play from the kick off with the kicking game of Danny Russell very well supported by the rugged Sawtell defence. The Panthers opened up the scoring in the 8th minute when Eddie Harrison crossed the white stripe and it was converted by Danny Russell. They were in again just 3 minutes later when Ryan Prevett bulldozed his way over. Three minutes later Adam Louden strolled through some soft defence and with the conversion successful the Panthers led 16-0 after just 11 minutes of play. Further tries to Danny Russell and Dean McClaughlin saw the Panthers lead by 28-0 at the break. The Comets needed to be the first to score after the break and they were courtesy of Josh Noble in the 49th minute but the Panthers struck back in the 53 minute through the hard working Dave Buttriss. The Panthers kept their foot on the pedal running in tries in the 60th minute to Jared Carruthers, the 63rd and 66th minutes to Dale Middleton to open up a 48-4 winning lead with a little over 10 minutes to go. The Comets were rewarded in the 74 minute when Nathan Curry strolled through some ordinary defence to score a consolation try which he converted to get the Comets to double figures. It would be hard to single out players as they all contributed well. Try scorers for Sawtell were Eddie Harrison, Ryan Prevett, Adam Louden, Danny Russell, Dean McClaughlin, Dave Buttriss, Jared Carruthers, and Dale Middleton with a double. Danny Russell had a better day with the boot kicking 7 from 9 attempts. Reserve Grade The Sawtell Panthers Reggies have been beaten by the Woolgoolga Seahorses 14-12 at Nambucca Heads today and will now face Nambucca Heads next week. Too many errors and dumb football at times made it easy for the Woolgoolga defence to pick off the Sawtell ball runners. They will have to improve if they are to beat Nambucca next week and set up a rematch with Woolgoolga in the grand final. . The Panthers trailed at the break 12-6 after Woolgoolga had all the running in the first half and occupied the Sawtell end of the ground for most of the half. The second half started badly for the Panthers with their first 5 sets producing 5 mistakes early in the tackle count. They did show a lot of guts after Sawtell player was felled in a high tackle from Mick Jeffries. They need to show some more variety in attack and ask some questions of the defence if they are to progress to the Grand Final. The juniors season has finished after going down to Macleay 12-10 in a close game that went down to the wire. The Panthers had a try disallowed for a forward pass on full time that would have seen them snatch victory. Congratulations to the young Panthers and to Brad Hart for getting the best out of a young side that will be all the better for his hard work next year.
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