Penrith snapped a five-match losing streak and kept its slim NRL finals hopes alive with a 28-14 victory over Melbourne at Olympic Park tonight.
After trailing 8-4 at the interval, the Panthers dominated the second half against a Storm side which has now lost four of its last five matches
at home.
A key turning point came in the 43rd minute when referee Shayne Hayne controversially ruled that a pass from Steven Bell to Billy Slater had gone forward.
It denied the Storm a probable try as the lightning quick Slater had a clear run to the line.
The Panthers cashed in quickly on their good fortune, with hooker Luke Priddis crashing over from dummy half for a try just one minute later.
Penrith extended its lead to 16-8 in the 50th minute when an unmarked Brett Howland crossed for a converted try in the left corner.
Howland came into the Penrith side as a late replacement for NSW winger Luke Rooney, who suffered a corked thigh in Origin II on Wednesday.
The Panthers wrapped up the victory eight minutes from time when second-rower Luke Swain brushed off a Matt King tackle to score his second try of the season.
And there was still time for Panthers five-eighth Preston Campbell to round off an impressive game with an 85-metre intercept try in the dying minutes, leaving an exhausted Billy Slater in his wake.
Campbell also converted four of Penrith's five tries.
Bell scored Melbourne's only try of the second half in the 79th minute, but it was scant consolation.
It had all looked so different early on for the Storm, who dominated much of the opening half and could well have led by more than four points at the break.
Their first-half tries came from King and Matt Geyer, while Panthers winger Luke Lewis also crossed for his 11th try of a productive 2005.
It was only Penrith's second victory in eight attempts in Melbourne, although they had flogged the Storm 36-16 at home back in round five.
Depending on other results, the Panthers could be within two games of the top eight at the end of round 15.
Second-rower Frank Pritchard was a late withdrawal for Penrith tonight with a knee injury.
- AAP
