Cock then converted to give CYMs a

6-0 lead.

Panthers got a penalty in their second set of six of the game and Phil Thurgood took the ball to line before giving a perfect offload to Chris Gale to dive over before Adam Burke added the extras.

Neither side was able to improve on their score with defence becoming the focus for both sides.

Play was stopped for 25 minutes after CYMS winger Mark Bettinzoli injured his neck in a tackle and as a precautionary measure was taken by ambulance

to hospital.

Bateup said his side was able to use the extended break to fix some errors with their game and then have a relaxed

half-time.

“I didn’t say much [at half-time], in that little break before half-time we addressed a few things, like we felt like we were controlling the game but we were coming up with some silly little plays near the end of every set and it was costing us a bit,” Bateup said.

“So when we went in the shed at half-time it was really calm and it’s been the story of our year, they are a young bunch of blokes but they are so calm and they believe in themselves. They know they can pull things out even if they get behind in

a game.

“Half-time it was just addressing our last tackle options and just to keep in the arm-wrestle. Keep in the arm-wrestle and keep completing sets and getting field position and things will happen for us.”

It was a different Panthers side that emerged after the break, piling on four tries in the first 20 minutes.

The first came after CYMS were penalised for a spear tackle on Thurgood and Michael Wicks was able to force his way over just minutes into the second half.

Tries to Nathan Simpson, Scott Gibson and Chris Gale gave Panthers a comfortable lead with twenty minutes to go but CYMS kept fighting until the end and were rewarded with two tries.

Scott Gibson brought the game to a close as he dived over for the Panthers to give the final score of 34-16.

CYMS captain-coach Asa Amone said he felt his team lost confidence when Panthers raced away in the second half.

“We stayed with them in the first half but we couldn’t keep up with them in the second half,” Amone said.

“We fell away in the second half and they scored a couple of quick tries and our boys put their heads down and we

couldn’t recover.

“Full credit to them, they are a good side.”

For Bateup, it was the achievement of a season long goal.

“Pretty much after the celebrations died down last year we thought we can do this, we can go back-to-back,” the Panthers mentor said.

“It’s been a tough year for the whole club and it’s left us in a predicament a few times with not many players but we toughed it out for each other.”

BATHURST PANTHERS 34 (Chris Gale 2, Scott Gibson 2, Nathan Simpson, Michael Wicks tries; Adam Burke 4, Scott Comerford goals) defeated ORANGE CYMS 16 (Aaron Willis, Mick McClymont, Scott Piper tries; Grant Cock 2 goals).