PANTHERS WIN OPENING TRIAL
Feb 19 - The Panthers opened their 2005 season with an impressive win over the Knights at Carrington Park in Bathurst tonight.
They won by 44 points to 20 after leading 28-0 at halftime.
Neither team was at full strength but it was an entertaining game of football played in warm, humid weather and with thunderstorms circling Bathurst.
Craig Gower was given an extra week to recover from his groin operation and did not play, so Preston Campbell started at halfback with Ben Rogers at five-eighth.
Penrith opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Rhys Wesser went over, the try laid on by Campbell who converted to make it 6-0.
Trent Clayton scored the first of his three tries - in the corner in the 13th minute and Campbell's conversion attempt hit the posts.
Six minutes later, Clayton scored again - this time a 90 metre intercept which Campbell converted to make it 16-0.
Paul Franze, playing in his first game for Penrith, opened his account for the season in the 28th minute and Wesser followed him with his second try four minutes later. Campbell converted both to make it 28-0 as they went in to the dressing rooms.
The Knights scored their first try in the 42nd minute when George Carmont pounced on a fumbled ball. Kurt Gidley converted and it was 28-6.
The Panthers struck back through Danny Galea in the 50th minute with the conversion by Michael Gordon, also playing in his first match for the Panthers.
Kurt Gidley scored and converted his own try to bring Newcastle a little closer a minute later.
Gordon scored a try of his own after 60 minutes, diving on a beautifully judged grubber from Peter Wallace. The score was 38-12.
Clayton's hat trick, converted by Gordon, made it 44-16 but Newcastle added a four pointer, courtesy of Blake Cannon, with about four minutes left on the clock.
Asked how he felt about the game, coach John Lang said: "I was very pleased with it really. We dropped away a bit in the second half but that tends to happen in trials.
"It was quite a good start for us to the season ... a really good first hit out."
Asked which of his younger players impressed most, John said: "I was very pleased with all of them. Trent Clayton, who isn't super young, scored three tries for us and that was a pretty good effort ... I thought it was a good team performance."
Penrith Panthers 44 (tries: Trent Clayton 3, Rhys Wesser 2, Paul Franze, Danny Galea, Michael Gordon; goals: Preston Campbell 4, Michael Gordon 3) Newcastle Knights 20 (tries:George Carmont, Kurt Gidley, Daniel Tolar, Blake Cannon; goals: Kurt Gidley 2)
