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The home side deservedly led 3-0 at the break after dominating the first half, and although Port Saints hit back thanks to a Mitch Howard goal after 62 minutes, the Panthers had the last laugh two minutes later with their fourth of the game.
Port Saints could have opened the scoring straight from the kick off, but Andrew Farquarson's shot after just 13 seconds went narrowly wide.
Panthers hit back however, and came close on five minutes with a shot hitting the post and rebounding into the grateful arms of Port Saints goalkeeper Ryan Baulman.
A couple of half-chances went begging as Panthers pushed forward, but on 14 minutes they took the lead when a cross from the right was headed on, and with Baulman unable to gather the ball was tucked home.
And two minutes later it was 2-0, a low corner in from the right finding its way to a Panthers player on the edge of the area, who finished well to double the lead.
Keith Helly placed a free-kick not too far over as Port Saints tried to get back into the game, but on 34 minutes the Panthers were awarded a penalty, which was converted with some ease.
Two minutes later it could have been 4-0 only for a fine Panthers shot to hit the crossbar, but three goals to the good the home side continued as they left off after the break, with shots raining in on Baulman as the Panthers dominated.
Port Saints shuffled their pack by making three changes, and that, combined with taking a more direct approach, paid dividends with Helly trying his luck once again before Glynn Stewart did superbly on the right, beating his man before crossing for the unmarked Howard to score from close range.
Panthers hit back immediately though, Baulman doing well to keep out an effort with his legs, but on 64 minutes the Port Saints custodian was unable to keep out an effort from 20 yards, which quickly extinguished any hopes of his side producing an unlikely comeback.
Reuben Rundle had two late efforts for Port Saints, but fittingly it was the Panthers who had the last say, a shot going just over the crossbar in the last minute.
Port Saints Res 1 (Mitch Howard) lost to Panthers Res 4
Port Saints may have started life horribly in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League Reserve Grade competition, but they have since bounced back in some style.
A 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Camden Haven Redbacks wasn't quite the start Port Saints had in mind to the season, but they have followed that up with a 2-1 win over Great Lakes Vikings and now a 2-0 win against the Wauchope Axemen.
Port Saints threatened on a number of occasions in the first half, but despite looking far less threatening after the break finally broke the deadlock on 61 minutes through Simon Hitchcock's thumping header, before sealing the win with nine minutes remaining through substitute Mitch Howard.
The visitors could have taken the lead after just 16 seconds when Keith Helly raced clear, but he fired his effort over.
Wauchope hit back with an equally good chance on five minutes, but although their effort beat onrushing goalkeeper Ryan Baulman, the ball also cleared the crossbar.
Helly then fired two efforts at the goalkeeper on 19 and 28 minutes, but just before the break Wauchope hit back with a shot from distance which Baulman did well to gather at full stretch.
A free-kick from Helly nearly found the target, beating the defensive wall but not the Wauchope goalkeeper, and with the half coming to a close Ben Gilchrist had two efforts, shooting wide on the first occasion and then straight at the goalkeeper.
James White and Howard were early substitutes for Port Saints in the second half, and when Andrew Farquarson was booked for kicking the ball away, he was quickly replaced by Glynn Stewart. Stewart and Howard would go on to play a pivotal role in the game.
With 20 minutes remaining Howard had Port Saints' first shot of the second half, his effort being deflected wide, and from the resulting corner Hitchcock nodded home expertly to give his side the lead.
On 71 minutes Port Saints finally made the game safe, Stewart doing well on the right before crossing for Howard to coolly slot the ball home.
Helly had a late effort to get the goal his enterprise deserved, but he scuffed his shot wide after racing through.
Wauchope never really threatened to hit back, as Port Saints made it two wins from their opening three games.
Port Saints Res 2 (Simon Hitchcock, Mitch Howard) defeated Wauchope Axemen Res 0
Saturday 14 June 2008
1st grade - Port Saints 3 v 2 Taree Wildcats
Res grade - Port Saints 2 v 2 Taree Wildcats
Saturday Lge - Port Saints Scorpions 0 v 2 Kempsey Saints
In reserve grade, Port Saints held MVR to a commendable 0-0 draw, while the Port Saints Scorpions lost 3-0 at South West Rocks in the Football Mid-North Coast Men's Northern Saturday League.
Port Saints 0 lost to Macleay Valley Rangers 6
Res grade - Macleay Valley Rangers Res 0 drew with Port Saints Res 0
Saturday Lge - South West Rocks 3 defeated Port Saints Scorpions 0
The Andrew Miedecke Motors-sponsored Port Saints have gone down to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Port United in the Football Mid-North Coast Premier League Reserve Grade competition.
On another day Port United could have won by five or six goals, but a combination of poor finishing and some fine saves from Port Saints goalkeeper Ryan Baulman kept the scoreline respectable.
Port United were straight into the attack, having a half-hearted shout for a penalty turned away after just five minutes, and not long after Baulman was called into the action for the first time, turning a shot around the post.
From the resulting corner a goal-bound header was brilliantly saved by the Port Saints custodian.
The visitors came close again on 20 minutes, a header going inches over the crossbar, and six minutes later Port United came even closer when Saints defender Sam Trembath clipped the ball over his own goalkeeper when trying to clear. Fortunately for Trembath the ball looped onto the crossbar before bouncing out.
Just after the half-hour mark Port United finally got on the scoresheet, an attacker being given far too much room on the edge of the area, although the shot needed a deflection to finally beat Baulman.
Port Saints hit back on 33 minutes with their first effort of the game, Peter Boskovski attacking a corner well only to head just wide.
Two minutes before the break however it should have been 2-0, with Port Saints not dealing with a corner, but from close range Port United could only put a shot over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.
Port United showed there would be no let-up by coming close immediately after the break, one of their defenders going forward before cutting in from the right and hitting a shot straight at Baulman.
Ben Gilchrist's introduction on 50 minutes nearly paid instant dividends, as within a minute the substitute hit a shot just wide, but midway through the half Port United grabbed a deserved second, a low cross finding its way to an attacker who was left with a simple tap-in, despite the home side appealing in vain for offside.
The visitors had two more chances to extend their lead, with a header and a shot from close range both being put over the crossbar, while the nearest Port Saints came was down to the perseverance of Mitch Howard, who charged down a clearance from Port United's goalkeeper only for the ball to ricochet off Howard's knees and just wide.
Port Saints Res 0 lost to Port United Res 2
Port Saints 2 (Jared Hartman, James Alexander) drew with Port United 2
An early strike gave Port United all three points in a tight Football Mid-North Coast Premier League Reserve grade competition clash against the Andrew Miedecke Motors-sponsored Port Saints on Saturday.
Just seven minutes had elapsed when the home side scored the only goal of the game, a sweeping move seeing play being switched from right to left before the ball was tucked past exposed Saints goalkeeper Glynn Stewart.
Buoyed by the goal, Port United dominated much of the first half, and came close to doubling their lead on 18 minutes when a shot was smacked just wide from the edge of the area.
It was a passage of play that perhaps summed up the early stages, with a Port United player nearly rewarded for attacking the ball while a number of Port Saints players merely watched on.
The home side came close again on 25 minutes through a free-kick, but three minutes later it was nearly 1-1 when a cross from the right almost found Amilcar Reyes, only for the ball to bounce up and over the attacking left full-back's head.
Saints started the second half in much better fashion, and looked to have leveled things just four minutes into the second half when Peter Boskovski's great run and pass set up Trent Carrall, who tucked the ball home.
Carrall's joy was short-lived however, with the referee's assistant ruling the effort out for offside.
Soon after Carrall was again set up by Boskovski, but the young midfielder could only prod wide under pressure from United's onrushing goalkeeper.
Substitute Brad Pees, playing against his former club, tried his luck from a good 40 yards but couldn't quite get enough on the ball, but with time running out the home side could have finally sealed the victory, one shot hitting the crossbar with the rebound somehow being blazed over.
With two minutes remaining an attempted clearance by the Saints defence cannoned off a United player and just wide, but it didn't matter with Port United holding on for all three points.
Port Saints Res 0 lost to Port United Res 1