Group 10 Rugby League: Bathurst Panthers thrash Lithgow Workies 52-0 at Carrington Park

A host of penalties and errors couldn't stop the Panthers from recording a mammoth 52-0 win over the struggling Lithgow Workies at Carrington Park, as the hosts were able to give player Jed Betts the right result in his 100^th match for the team.

Betts was even given the honour of converting the last try of the day for the Panthers, which sailed through the air with very little grace but still found its way through the uprights.

"It feels really good. You don't get to see many wins like that these days so that's great," Betts said following his century game.

"The good for thing for us was that our defence stayed strong the whole time. That was a big effort to keep them to zero."

The opening 10 minutes was a messy affair as both sides had opportunities close to each other's try lines, courtesy or penalties and errors, though neither team could capitalise.

A penalty against Workies in the 16^th minute for staying down to long on the tackled player would lead to Panthers opening the scoring on their next set.

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Some quick hands from Panthers saw the ball pushed out to the left wing where Desi Doolan dived across for the try.

Protests for a forward pass from Workies were waved away and the Bathurst men took a 4-0 lead.

Five minutes later the Panthers were in again when Abel Lefaoseu was put into a big gap near the posts and Willie Wright's conversion extended the lead to 10-0.

Workies found themselves down a man for 10 minutes due to backchat but the visitors showed some defensive resilience with the numbers against them.

Towards the end of the 12-on-13 situation the pressure eventually became too much when a cheeky grubber and regather from Willie allowed him to send his skipper Doug Hewitt over for a try.

Malick Blenman joined a quickly growing try scorers list before the break to give Panthers a 20-0 lead at half-time.

The messy moments and scratchy discipline for both clubs continued into the new half of football but in the 51^st minute a Jake Betts line break would bring some spark back to Panthers and set up Jeremy Gordon for a try on the next play.

From there the Panthers truly ran away with the contest.

Joey Bugg scooted over the try line with ease from dummy half and Hewitt quickly bagged his second try of the day to give Panthers an unassailable lead.

The pain for Workies kept on coming when Keelan Bresac scored against his former club and some beautiful footwork from Doolan saw him claim his second try.

Following the second sin bin of the day for Lithgow - leaving them with 12 men for the last seven minutes - Gordon crossed for his second try to bring up the half century for Panthers.

Betts' post-siren conversion made his century game one to remember.

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