League: Warriors keep top eight hopes alive

Warriors 28 Panthers 22

It might have tarnished their reputation and hit their bank account but the damage of the Warriors' salary cap infringement is becoming increasingly obvious.

As the Warriors posted their fourth win on the trot for the first time since their run to the 2003 playoffs, the gap to the Promised Land of the top eight still looks depressingly out of reach.

Add four points, the number they had stripped from their tally before the season had even started, and it would be a different story.

As it is, it's still not out of the question, particularly with chances to make more progress up the table in the coming weeks. But it would probably take six wins from their remaining eight games and that's tough in anyone's books.

It wasn't a classic performance by any stretch - perhaps they were still suffering a hangover from last week's 66-0 schellacking of a Bunnies side seemingly afflicted with myxamatosis.

And it took a 73rd-minute try to Leeds-bound fullback Brent Webb to finally kill off a Panthers side lacking the quality of Craig Gower and Rhys Wesser, both on State of Origin duty, and injured skipper Tony Puletua.

Although it was an error-ridden performance, there was plenty of drama due to the closeness of the contest and it was only a shame no more than 8723 people turned out on a perfect Auckland evening.

The Warriors made an inauspicious start when Jerome Ropati dropped the kickoff to put his side under pressure and it set the tone for the night.

They looked flat, dropped passes, misjudged kicks and didn't attack the lines with the same vigour they did six days ago. It was little surprise, then, to discover the Warriors completed only 60 per cent of their sets.

They did, though, score the first points when Simon Mannering barged over from close range in the fourth minute and he doubled the dose 12 minutes later when he intercepted a Danny Galea pass and raced 60m to give his side a handy 10-2 lead.

At that stage, despite the errors blighting their game, it looked like the Warriors would take control.

The Panthers, though, took a slim 14-10 halftime lead after tries to Galea and Lee Hookey.

The Warriors committed three errors in as many minutes after the restart but the Panthers were unable to take advantage. Ruben Wiki briefly sparked the Warriors in the 48th minute when he burst over for his fifth try of the season.

Martin had a chance to increase the lead but dropped the ball with the line gaping. He atoned for that when he finished off a 90m break started by impressive winger Patrick Ah Van.

At 22-14, it looked like they might have opened a match-winning gap but they again took their foot off the accelerator and let in Luke Priddis.

When Preston Campbell added a penalty to level the scores at 22-22, the match could have gone either way.

Webb clinched the match when he dived over with seven minutes to play after latching onto a smart inside ball on the final play. He was delighted but that was nothing compared to his joy at the final hooter as he jumped into the arms of his stand-in captain.

There is undoubtedly confidence running through the side - it's what winning breeds - and they saluted an appreciative crowd. If only they had another four points in the bank.

Warriors 28 (S. Mannering 2, R. Wiki, T. Martin, B. Webb tries, T. Martin 4 gls)
Panthers 22 (D. Galea, L. Hookey, L. Priddis tries, P. Campbell 5 gls).
HT: 10-14.