PANTHERS 47-14 BRONCOS | THE LOWDOWN

PANTHERS OFF TO A FLYER ON OPENING DAY

THE LOWDOWN 

PANTHERS 47-14 BRONCOS

Halifax Panthers got their Betfred Championship 2021 campaign off to a flyer against one of the pre-season favourites for promotion London Broncos at the Shay Stadium as the Simon Grix got the response he was looking for from the squad after the Challenge Cup defeat at home to the Bulldogs.

The Panthers got off to the perfect start on 4 minutes with the returning Elliot Morris receiving a short ball from Liam Harris before skipping past the full-back and crossing over at pace leaving the Broncos defence with no chance and Connor Robinson added the extras.

The game swung in the Panthers favour after Abbas Miski was sin binned on the 17th minute for kicking the ball away after James Saltonstall looked to get things going quickly deep in the Panthers half.

It took just 1 minute for the home side to take advantage of the extra man when Liam Harris threw a dummy to break the Broncos line and with Robinson in support he repeated the feat to cross for his first try in the Blue & White, again Robinson added the extras.

Ed Barber in at centre for the clash then put the Panthers further ahead after some neat attacking play found Barber one on one with the Broncos defender but there was only ever going to be one winner with Barber outmuscling his opponent to get his first and the Panthers third try of the game, Robinson kept up his 100% record to make it 18-0 after 25 minutes.

The Broncos refused to lie down and hit back straight away when Chamberlain put Abbas Miski in at the corner but the conversion was missed.

On 39 mins both teams went down to 12 men after fisticuffs between Fairbank and Richards saw both receive the yellow card and 10 mins on the sideline.

HALF TIME  – HALIFAX PANTHERS 18-4 LONDON BRONCOS

The second half started just like the first with the Panthers on the front foot from the kick off and with not even a minute on the clock Ed Barber got his second try of the game after powering on to a short ball from Harris before Robinson added the extras.

London came back again just 6 minutes later with Miski spinning over from acting half but once again the conversion was missed leaving us with a 16 point ball game (24-8).

Zack McComb then introduced himself to the Fax faithful scoring one of the tries of the game after some great attacking play down the left side with Robinson, Harris and Grix all moving the ball on with purpose leaving the hometown debutant little work to do to get off the mark as a Panther but the conversion was missed for the first time in the game form #CR7.

McComb then produced a moment of magic, attacking the Broncos line at speed, sidestepping his way through to leave himself one on one with the full-back before sending Scott Grix over to extend Panthers lead to 26 points after Robinson again added the extras.

Fax then hit 40 points at home for the first time since 2019 in the Betfred Championship after some smart play from Robinson who threw the show and go before finding Jacob Fairbank who crossed under the sticks before Liam Harris got in on the kicking act adding the extras.

London refused to lie down and this time it was Egodo who would get on the score sheet picking up a ball spill and racing 80 metres to leave an easy conversion bringing the score to 40-14.

With just 5 minutes left on the clock the Panthers wouldn’t settle for 40 on the board and once again Harris, Robinson and Grix linked up on the left side to put Conor McGrath in at the corner after beating the last man with Robinson adding the extras.

Connor Robinson added a drop goal with just seconds on the clock to seal a convincing win for the Panthers on opening day.

FULL TIME  – HALIFAX PANTHERS 47-14 LONDON BRONCOS 

Tries – Morris, Barber (2), Grix, McComb, McGrath, Harris, Fairbank

Goals – Robinson (6), (1dg), Harris (1)

PANTHERS LINE UP 

Grix, McGrath, McComb, Barber, Saltonstall, Harris, Robinson, Morris, 

Moore (C), Murray, Garside, Hewitt, Larroyer.

INTERCHANGES

Cu. Davies, Springer, Fairbank, Brearley

MATCH OFFICIAL 

Gareth Hewer 

MAN OF THE MATCH 

Elliot Morris – Sponsored by Investing For Tomorrow

MATCH REACTION 

Simon Grix – INTERVIEW HERE

Zack McComb – INTERVIEW HERE

#PanthersAreInTown

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