A double from Spencer Leniu sparked the Canterbury Cup Panthers to a 24-14 comeback win over Mounties at Panthers Stadium on Sunday.
Leniu, who only earlier this week re-signed with Panthers until the end of the 2021 season, proved the difference with both tries showing off his brute force and determination.
The Panthers were their own worst enemy for most of the match, conceding a string of penalties and making errors inside their own half.
It eventually caught up to them as Billy Burns was sin-binned and Mounties ran in two quick tries.
The first saw Brendan O’Hagan slice through in the 33rd minute for the first try of the afternoon.
The Panthers threatened to hit back when Patrick Hollis busted through and the ball ended up in the hands of a speedy Matt Burton but he was eventually taken into touch.
Any chance of building on the play was quickly evaporated as Murchie barged through to score right before the break.
HALF-TIME: Panthers 0 Mounties 12
Errors and penalties continued to deny the Panthers from any chance of building any real pressure.
Mounties extended their lead beyond two converted tries when they knocked over a penalty goal in the 55th minute.
After being awarded some penalties of their own Penrith hit back.
It came off a powerful individual effort from front rower Leniu, with the successful conversion from Blore reducing the deficit to eight.
With the next try to prove crucial, a desperate Sione Katoa ran down a runaway Andre Niko to keep Penrith in the contest.
Caleb Aekins then came up with one of the plays of the afternoon when he turned a possible force dropout into a 70-metre line-break.
And Leniu was at it again, surging over the line for a double to set up a tight finish.
After a try-saving effort earlier, Katoa was then rewarded with a try of his own as he darted out of dummy-half to score with four minutes remaining.
The successful conversion left the difference at four points in Penrith’s favour.
Burton then took on the line and scored in the final seconds of the game to put an exclamation point on the comeback win.
FULL-TIME: Panthers 24 Mounties 14
