Cover Photo: Rodders Photos

By Tallon Smith

Bathurst Panthers have taken out the year’s second cross-town derby with a 22-8 win over Bathurst St Pats in Peter McDonald Premiership action at Jack Arrow Sporting Complex on Saturday.

After a tough first half where both teams battled for ascendency, the Panthers built on their narrow 6-4 half time lead to kick clear of their rivals and secure a much-needed victory that keeps the side entrenched in the PMP top eight.

Panthers First Grade Manager Danny Dwyer said that with weather conditions less than ideal, as they were across much of the state on Saturday, the Panthers made a tough decision that paid off later in the game. 

“The weather was atrocious to be honest, it was just so cold and so miserable, [and there was] very strong wind in the first half, particularly which we chose to run into,” he said. 

“That was something that the boys spoke about before the game, that if we win the toss we’ll run into the wind and we’ll certainly have a crack in that first half and try and keep Pats to as low a score as possible, which we did at half time. 

“We played the first 20 minutes inside our 20 metre line [and] we just couldn’t get out of our own 20 metre zone with their good defence and their kicking game. 

“Obviously, Josh Merritt trying to kick into that wind was just very difficult, but it took probably 15-20 minutes for them to score the first try on the back of that.”

However, after conceding the opening try of the match, Dwyer said that the Panthers established dominance in the second quarter of the match.

“We came back then in the second half of that first half and were able to get a try and head into the break at 6-4,” he said.

“That kick started us into kicking away there to get to 22-4 at one stage, so it was yeah that was a tough win the boys played really well and yeah probably under the worst conditions I’ve ever seen I think for a game of footy.”

As for the atmosphere of the cross-town derby, Dwyer said that the crowd was a good one considering the weather.

“It was a good crowd on the day even though it was in terrible conditions,” he said. 

“It was an old boys day too for St Pats with the premiership reunions [for] 2004 [First Grade] and 2004 Reserve Grade.

“There was a lot of local support from St Pats and obviously Panthers as well, being a Saturday game.

“I think that adds to a little bit of the flavour of just having a little bit more passion and enthusiasm when it’s a Saturday game.

“It was certainly a great game and it was good to get away with the win and I’d say the boys played very well, played good structured footy and were good enough to get the result on the day.”

Looking at other results across Round 12 of the PMP competition, Dubbo CYMS took home the Mick Wilson Memorial Trophy with a 24-14 win over Forbes, while Mudgee beat Orange CYMS 44-30, Parkes scraped over the line 28-26 against Wellington, Nyngan defeated Dubbo Macquarie 46-30, and Orange Hawks scored a 26-12 victory over Lithgow Workies.

Next week sees only five games in First Grade, with Panthers and Lithgow having the week off after their extra ‘kickoff game’ earlier in the year which was played as a curtain-raiser to Panthers-Tigers at Carrington Park.