Soward flattened in Panthers defeat

The Canberra Raiders have avoided the race for the Wooden Spoon with a 34-18 victory over the Penrith Panthers, who will next week clash with Newcastle Knights for the coveted prize.

Sam Williams opened the first half with a solo effort to nab the first four-pointer after 8 minutes. Canberra rolled on to post a further 18 points through Jarrod Croker, Jarrad Kennedy and Shaun Fensom.

James Segeyaro crossed at the 33rd minute to claim the first Panthers try with a simple dart from acting half. Penrith trailed 22-6 at the half time break after a lacklustre 40 minutes.

The visitors were without Jamie Soward for the second half as he suffered a heavy knock at the hands of Jack Wighton at the back end of the first half. He was taken to hospital for observation.

It was a slow start to the second half. However, similarly to the Panthers, the hosts lost their own five-eighth, Blake Austin early with a shoulder injury. Austin's injury a blow on the back of his re-signing news pre-game, extending his current deal by another season until the end of 2018.

Kurt Baptiste cracked through the Panthers goal line defence with a burrowing charge at the 60th minute to get the points flowing.

Lewis Brown returned serve minutes later as the Panthers crossed for their second try of the game at the 65th minute, to close the gap, 28-12.

The Raiders posted their final points at the 71st minute as Edrick Lee provided Sisa Waqa a pin-point flick pass to bolt 35 metres under the posts.

Will Smith had the final say of the contest as he slipped away from Sam Williams to charge 40 metres downfield. The Raiders first half performance enough to get them home, 34-18.

Next week the Raiders head to Western Sydney as they face the Parramatta Eels in their final round match-up. While for the Panthers, it's back at Pepper Stadium for their wooden spoon hit-out with the Newcastle Knights.

Match Details

Canberra Raiders 34 Penrith Panthers 18
Venue: GIO Stadium
Crowd: 6717
Halftime Score: Canberra Raiders 22 Penrith Panthers 6

CANBERRA RAIDERS (34)
Tries: Sam Williams, Jarrod Croker, Jarrad Kennedy, Shaun Fensom, Kurt Baptiste, Sisa Waqa
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (5/6)
Penalty Goals:

PENRITH PANTHERS (18)
Tries: James Segeyaro, Lewis Brown, William Smith
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jamie Soward (1/1), Apisai Koroisau (2/2)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jack Wighton
2 points - Shaun Fensom
1 point - Josh Hodgson

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to LeagueUnlimited's LIVE coverage from GIO Stadium in Canberra as the Raiders host the Panthers in a pride match as both teams look to redeem their 2015 seasons with wins in their final two games.

1: We are GO at GIO Stadium as the Penrith Panthers kick off!

1: First penalty in Canberra against the hosts for too long in the ruck. Jarrod Kennedy the offender on this occasion.

3: Soward rockets a grubber through, forced dead. Line drop out, repeat set for Panthers. Good first attacking set from the visitors

4: Jack Wight takes the bomb in goal, 20m tap for the Raiders. No score here after almost 5 minutes

5: First penalty for the hosts, attacking 30 metres out now from the Panthers line

6: Panthers trapped in goal, line drop out for the Raiders

8: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Sam Williams. Kick to come.
Sam Williams takes on the Panthers defence and weaves his way through the line to grab first points.

9: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker unsuccessful.
Jarrod Croker fails with the first conversion attempt

12: 12' Jack Wight boots the ball dead. Another line drop out.

15: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Jarrod Croker. Kick to come.
Jarrod Croker finishes off a fast running four-pointer which started with Blake Austin and Sam Williams. Edrick Lee bolted away to link with Croker who streaked away under the posts

17: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Jarrod Croker slots the conversion from right in front on this occasion.

20: Jamie Soward cleans up in goal, line drop out for the Raiders. Building pressure here on the Panthers

22: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Jarrad Kennedy. Kick to come.
Jarrad Kennedy steamrolls through the Panthers defence as the Panthers crumble on the left side of the field.

23: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Jarrod Croker slots the conversion attempt and it's a 16 point lead

26: Great work from Wighton, grabs the quick restart. Smith penalised for taking out Austin without the ball. Penalty with Raiders, 35m out

27: VIDEO REFEREE for Raiders, NO TRY for Shaun Fensom. Possibly held up

27: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Shaun Fensom. Kick to come.
Shaun Fensom gets the GREEN LIGHTS after powering through two Panthers defenders, somehow managed to get the ball on the ground.

27: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Croker adds two more points to the score from in front

29: Penalty continues the Raiders run, easy help out of their red zone.

29: Mistake from the Raiders has ZERO tackle with the Panthers. Not ideal after points

31: Another line drop out for the Panthers, their 3rd of the night but yet to get any results from the possession.

33: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by James Segeyaro. Kick to come.
James Segeyaro steals one out of dummy half! A simple dart out of dummy half has the Panthers back in this game

34: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward quickly converts from in front.

37: KNOCK ON! Lewis Brown has fumbled the ball from a quick pass. Raiders 15m out

37: VIDEO REFEREE for Raiders! NO TRY as it looks like a held up for Shillington in goal

37: NO TRY! Dave Shillington denied as he was held up by three in goal. Back to the 10 metre line for three more tackles

38: Panthers watch the ball go dead, 20m tap. Raiders not coming away with points there

39: Jamie Soward still hasn't moved from a heavy high tackle from Jack Wighton. His shoulder has made contact with his chin. Medicab has come on for him

39: Jamie Soward still hasn't moved from a heavy high tackle from Jack Wighton. His shoulder has made contact with his chin. Medicab has come on for him

39: No penalty for Jack Wight. Play resumes with a lost ball, scrum for Raiders

40: HALF TIME and it's the Raiders in control, 22-6

41: Second half is a GO as the Raiders look to wrap up this game.

44: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Bryce Cartwright makes an unforced error.
Bryce Cartwright has to bend down to get a low pass and he fumbles. Scrum for the Raiders at their 10 metre line

45: UNFORCED ERROR CANBERRA RAIDERS
Josh Papalii makes an unforced error.
Josh Papalli comes up with a loose carry and it's a scrum feed for the Panthers

46: enalty for a slow ruck play. Austin takes the quick tap, Raiders running strongly now

48: VIDEO REFEREE for Raiders, NO TRY for Kennedy. Looking at a knock on in the lead up. It follows a held up call from Shillington in goal

48: NO TRY! Jarrad Kennedy denied his second. Change over at the 10m line. Raiders 22-6

49: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Leilani Latu makes an unforced error.
Latu may have had the ball helped out in a tackle, but it's ruled a knock on. Another scrum packs for the Raiders

49: Time off here with Blake Austin down after a tackle over the top from Tupou Sopoaga

49: Blake Austin is being assisted off the field with a possible shoulder injury. Doesn't look in a good way

49: Update on Jamie Soward: He has been taken to hospital for observation. Of course, will not return tonight.

53: End to end play in the past few minutes, both sides looking to armwrestle their way through this game.

57: Scrum for the Panthers, Sam William's kick finds the line and it's Panthers turn to return the running paly

59: Penalty against Raiders, Josh Papalii with a shoulder charge on Bryce Cartwright

59: ZERO TACKLE, Sika Manu fumbles and it's Raiders ball. Canberra 22-6

59: Penalty to Raiders, Tyrone Peachey not square at marker.

60: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Kurt Baptiste. Kick to come.
Kurt Baptiste burrows his way through the Panthers defence after a bolting dummy half run. Simple stuff to get the first second half points.

62: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Jarrod Croker gets the extras from in front, 22 point lead now for the hosts

65: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Lewis Brown. Kick to come.
Lewis Brown slides over in the corner as Bryce Cartwright shifted the ball wide to the left, it went through several hands before ending with Brown.

66: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Apisai Koroisau successful.
Apisai Koroisau hooks the kick and it nails the corner of the cross bar and the upright! Amazing conversion.

71: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Sisa Waqa. Kick to come.
Sisa Waqa takes a brilliant flick pass from Edrick Lee as he bolted into space untouched to dart 35 metres under the posts.

73: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Jarrod Croker with a simple conversion pushes the score out further.

75: Penalty for crowding. Panthers with a helping up field.

75: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by William Smith. Kick to come.
Will Smith darts away from Sam Williams and bolts 40 metres with some fancy footwork.

76: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Apisai Koroisau successful.
Apisai Koroisau slots the conversion and the Panthers close the gap

78: Another shoulder charge from Josh Papalii… penalty with Panthers

79: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
James Segeyaro makes an unforced error.
James Segeyaro fumbles at the ruck and it's all over

80: FULL TIME in Canberra, the Raiders too good for the Panthers after a strong first half.