Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Fast start not enough as Dragons drop key clash

A solid piece of Sione Finau cover work prevented an early Panthers try with the winger cleaning up an in-field kick off a left-edge break.

Dylan Egan found himself in the clear several plays later before finding a supporting Connor Muhleisen up the middle only for the Dragons rake to be dragged down.

Another break courtesy of a Lyhkan King-Togia and Tyrell Sloan link-up saw the Red V storm back onto the attack with a fifth-tackle Ryan Couchman cut-out bouncing into the arms of Mikaele Ravalawa who strolled over in the right corner.

Jonah Glover slotted the extras from inches inside the touchline to give the hosts an early 6-0 edge.

The Dragons took full advantage of a piggyback penalty the next set of six with King-Togia again putting his hand up in attacking ball finding his back rower Dan Russell who poked his nose through and sent it back inside to the teenage five-eighth for the side’s second.

The Red V’s hot start continued with Jack Bird bustling his way into the backfield off a Sloan inside ball soon after and finding a supporting Dylan Egan on the inside to extend the lead to 18-0.

A slate of set restarts handed the Panthers an extended stay in attacking territory but the Dragons’ spirited defence came up trumps with King-Togia and Finau combining to force a timely error.

The Panthers were straight back onto the attack courtesy of a Dragons yardage error but the Red V wall – in the face of further set restarts – held strong.

Bird looked to have secured the side’s fourth off a Ravalawa flick back on the inside moments later only for the ball to be dislodged in his grounding attempt.

It was instead the Panthers to strike next through Kepaoa who found space down the left flank and outmuscled the cover to cross and cut the deficit to 14.

The visitors went back-to-back to eat further into the lead after they marched downfield off the kick-off and David Fale steamed his way over to make it 18-10 headed into the break.

A piece of Sloan brilliance on the other side of half-time resulted in a major response for the Red V with the 22-year-old taking a 20-metre restart and slipping through some flimsy, middle defence before turning on the afterburners and outpacing several chasers to slide over next to the sticks.

Josh Coric found himself placed on report for a crusher tackle soon after with Jack Cole slipping through for the visitors off it to cut the deficit back to eight.

Alec Tuitavake left the field in the aftermath of the try for a HIA bringing Jackson Shereb into the action.

Kepaoa found a second in the left corner after Brad Schneider picked up a loose ball and took off downfield with Cole’s conversion attempt waved away as the score remained 24-20 the way of the hosts.

Kepaoa secured his hat-trick the very next set with the visitors going from coast to coast to lock things up with a little over 15 to play.

Sione Finau left the field following the four-pointer forcing the Dragons into a backline reshuffle with Savelio Tamale shifting out to the wing, Shereb pushing into the centres, and replacement player Hamish Stewart coming into the second row.

The Panthers grabbed what proved the match-winner 73 minutes in through Harrison Hassett who was the beneficiary of an Isaiah Iongi break.

Viliami Fifita was placed on report and binned for a shot off the ball in the final stages as the Panthers held on for an important pair of competition points with several late Dragons attacking raids coming up short.