Panthers 42, Hunslet Hawks 26

SINCE ending the despair of a 46-match losing run in April, Panthers coach Martin Crompton has impressively gone about setting club records of a more welcome kind.

Yesterday's 42-point haul was the biggest in their history, while Hunslet became the first ever victims of a Panthers league double.

Most importantly, this season's sixth win (another record) means the club will avoid finishing bottom of National League Two for the first time since their debut campaign of 2005.

This victory in the final home game of the season perhaps said more about the improved fitness levels and mental strength under Crompton than about the skill factor.

They trailed after an hour, but in energy-sapping conditions the Panthers kept their Yorkshire visitors scoreless for the final 28 minutes and pulled clear with three tries in the closing quarter.

The afternoon started ominously for the home side as Hawks loose-forward Richard Chapman dummied through for a stroll-in try in the third minute.

But opposite number Melvyn Alker responded from close range after 10 minutes as the Panthers' pressure and quick play-the-balls were rewarded.

They should have taken the lead on 12 minutes, when Dave Llewellyn broke free only to pass inside to rival centre Danny Cook, but they did so two minutes later when yet another centre, Casey Mayberry, stormed down the left touchline from halfway.

However, Chris Forster could add neither conversion from wide out, meaning Panthers only led 8-6 and this was soon cancelled out by Hawks hooker Darren Robinson's second goal, a straightforward penalty.

Chapman again displayed his dummying skills down the blindside for a second try on 19 minutes, but Panthers hit back three minutes later as the half-backs linked up well for Jonny Leather to sprint over. The full-back improved the angle for Forster to break his duck and tie the scores at 14-14.

Blackpool hit the front with the try of the game on the half-hour, a blistering break down the middle finished by impressive substitute hooker Martin Keavney after an exchange of passes with Damien Munro.

By this time Hunslet had winger Scott Childs in the sin-bin for holding down Forster after scrum-half had intercepted on his own try-line and broken 70 metres.

Blackpool were desperate to take full advantage and stretch their 20-14 lead to two scores by half-time, but Forster was narrowly beaten to his own grubber into the in-goal and then made a hash of a drop goal attempt.

This began to look costly as Hunslet, full compliment restored, pulled level within two minutes of the restart, when Leather fumbled and stand-off Francis Maloney pounced.

More smart Panthers passing was rewarded when winger John Gillam squeezed in at the corner on 47 minutes but again the lead was shortlived as Hunslet substitute Anthony Thewliss powered in on the back of two penalties.

Panthers had scored five tries to four but were 26-24 in arrears because Forster had missed three goals, whereas Robinson had landed five out of five.

The home side soon put this right, though Gillam was denied a second try when ruled offside in pursuit of a kick to the corner.

But substitute Eddie Kilgannon gave Blackpool a 62nd-minute lead they would never lose with an opportunist try after Forster's bomb went to ground.

Blackpool's Peter Fairhurst escaped punishment for a knock-on beneath his own sticks when second-rower Jamie Bovill's subsequent try was disallowed for crossing, and the Panthers prop made amends on 69 minutes by brushing aside some tired tackling for a four-pointer.

Leather iced Blackpool's cake with his second try on 73 minutes, hacking ahead from a chip by Forster, who finished with five conversions out of eight.

Panthers team: Leather, Munro, Llewellyn, Mayberry, Gillam, Svabic, Forster, Marsh, Clough, Fairhurst, Barton, Ratcliffe, Alker; subs: Warriner, Boland, Kilgannon, Keavney;

Attendance: 443