Playing at Coonamble, the Bears arguably fielded their strongest side this season for the match against their traditional rivals, and they certainly did not let their vocal supporters down with their 24-16 win after the two teams were locked up at 4-all at half time.

The Panthers had the advantage of having a strong breeze at their backs in the first forty minutes but they failed to convert that advantage into points, as they were constantly turned back by the Bears rock solid defence, except on the one occasion when the Panthers lock, Jordan Reynolds, was able to dive over from dummy half after throwing a dummy.

The Reynolds' try came in the 38^th minute after the Bears were first on the board just three minutes earlier courtesy of a four pointer to their hard running second rower Troy Evans.

Along with the breeze, Gilgandra had enjoyed a majority of the possession and subsequently were afforded good field position, and considering this the Bears would have been well pleased with the way the scoreboard read at the break.

The second half again saw the Bears called upon to defend their line grimly on numerous occasions, their task made somewhat easier by the Panther's persistence in playing the game up the middle, as they largely ignored their strike players out wide.

A penalty goal and another converted try to Evans saw the Bear extend their lead to 12 to 4 before another dummy half try to the Panthers, this time by Jamie Towney, had the Panthers back in the game at 12 points to 10.

Mid way through the half the Bears half Matty Sheather joined the scorers sheet and the home side lead 16 to 10 before his Panther opposite, Luke Ritchie, spotted a rare gap in the Bears defensive line five minutes later to race over from close range and with the conversion successful the scores were again locked up at 16 all.

This was to be the case until five mutes before full time when a towering Bear's bomb was put down which subsequently lead to Jamyn Cleary scoring out wide, the sideline conversion being land ed by Cody Tickle who then potted a penalty goal some three minutes later to seal the win for the Bears, the final score being 24 to 16.

It was indeed on the back of their defensive effort that the Bears claimed the two competition points, whilst the Panthers might well be ruing their rather unimaginative tactics in attack, the loss costing them first place on the competition ladder, that position now being assumed by the Cobar Roosters who downed the Binnaway Bombshells 42 to 12 at Binnaway.

The top of the table league tag clash between the Dunedoo Swannettes and the Baradine Magpiettes played at Dunedoo proved to be a one sided affair with Baradine, the 2018 and 2019 premiers, signalling that they are well and truly aiming for a 'three-pete' as they made short shift of the previously undefeated Swannettes, taking the game 28 points to nil.

The Panthers' first grade loss to the Bears has thrown the minor premiership race wide open with three teams (Gilgandra, Cobar and Dunedoo) now all in the running for that honour and to make it even more intriguing is the run to the semi-finals that those three clubs have over the remaining two rounds.

The Panthers have two competition points guaranteed; as they have the bye in the last round and they will be wanting to down Dunedoo this Saturday and then hope other results go their way.

Cobar host Coonamble this Saturday before they play the Swans at Dunedoo in the final round, this game possibly being the pivotal game in determining the final finishing order .