Penrith Panthers 32

Saints 26 AGAINST all the odds Saints remain in contention for a Visa World Club Club Challenge quarter-final place after this cliff-hanger in the Blue Mountains on Monday.

Behind that bald statement lies a tale of pride, passion and professionalism restored, with the Auckland drubbing consigned to distant memory as Saints went some way to winning back the hearts and minds of disenchanted fans.

Pre-match assessments were that Panthers _ who won 50-20 at Knowsley Road in June _ needed to win by 47 points to stay in last-eight reckoning, while a Saints squad given 35 points start by the bookies could not afford to be defeated by more than ten.

However, never at any stage did the Knowsley Road side approach this sizzling showdown in a negative frame of mind, indeed it could be said that, on balance, they were unlucky to lose.

But skipper Bobbie Goulding and his men must have derived tremendous consolation in going through to the next round after being still on course at half-time, when they trailed by just 20-10

But the omens appeared far from good on the resumption when Saints conceded 12 quick points, but the 'here we go again' prophets of doom were soon silenced as Saints took control to register16 unanswered points and with it salvation

A remarkable turn-round in fortunes then after the post-Wembley trough of despair, and a timely up-lift for the mini-army of Knowsley Road fans who trekked to the Antipodes. Without doubt this was an 'all shoulders to the wheel' rearguard action from Saints, and it should be placed on record that the sterling deeds of Keiron Cunningham, Paul Newlove, Bobbie Goulding, Andy Leathem and hero-of-the-hour Sean Long were almost above the call of duty.

There was just five minutes remaining when Long scored the all-important try that kept Saints hopes alive, and the quicksilver stand-off then brought off a last-gasp tackle on Sid Domic to thwart the wounded Panthers.

Saints had a try disallowed within four minutes when Newlove's pass to Anthony Sullivan was ruled forward, and much against the run of play, it was Penrith who stole the lead when Matt Adamson chipped ahead for Ryan Girdler to land the first of his four goals

Worse was to follow for Saints when Tony Puletua broke two tackles to touch down, only for the free-flowing visitors to hit back with an 80-yard movement involving Danny Arnold, Newlove and Long for Sullivan to race over.

Goulding tacked on the extra points but Panthers' response was immediate as Jody Gall linked with Andy Hinson to carve out a try for Darren Carter, although there was more than an hint of a knock-on in the build-up.

A Saints' side displaying superb ball control bounced back once more when, after Chris Joynt, Cunningham and Derek McVey made ground on the left, the ball was flashed to the right for Long to send Andy Haigh across. Goulding's kick rebounded from an upright, and Panthers had the final pre-interval say when, after they had moved play field-length in three tackles, Darren Brown's slick pass opened the way for Domic over 40 yards.

Tries on the restart by Girdler and Craig Gower gave Saints an apparent mountain to climb, but they gained a foothold when Arnold put the finishing touch to a break by Newlove, and Cunningham then burrowed his way over in typical fashion.

Arnold on Gall and Hunte on Girdler both saved Saints' bacon with that vital touchdown still needed by the Knowsley Road side, before up stepped Long and the rest, as they say, is history.

So much-maligned Saints live to fight another day and, although not quite a story of 'come home all is forgiven,' they can at least hold their heads high on salvaging something from this journey to the Southern Hemisphere.

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