A trysaving tackle by Joel Clinton on a flying Ty Williams has proved pivotal as Penrith continued North Queensland's week with a 17-8 win at CUA Stadium.

With his side up by four points and Williams heading for a runaway try in the corner, Clinton showed amazing pace and tenacity to pull the former Queensland Origin star into touch just centimetres out from the tryline.

Penrith winger Michael Gorden then sealed the result with a try in the final minute to keep the Panthers' slim playoff hopes alive as it moved within two points of the top eight.

After a week of turmoil in which the Cowboys were forced to issue a public statement denying a Wayne Carey-type sex scandal had engulfed the club, North Queensland failed to show any real potency in attack to register their seventh loss from their last eight matches.

A Johnathan Thurston penalty goal was all that separated the two sides after a lacklustre opening 40 minutes in which neither side even looked like threatening the opposition's tryline.

Such was the dour nature of the contest that even the person in charge of the halftime siren was apparently sent to sleep before rookie referee Ben Cummins finally put the 8212-strong crowd out of its misery following a tip from the video referee that it was time.

The second stanza began in much more enterprising fashion with Luke Priddis backing up a fine bust from Luke Swain to score beside the posts five minutes after the restart.

The home side was on the attack only moments later when Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen made a meal of things as he tried to prevent an attempted 40-20 from Preston Campbell.

North Queensland survived the onslaught and was soon back in the lead with Justin Smith brushing through a weak Luke Lewis tackle to put Steve Southern over, Thurston's conversion giving the Cowboys an 8-6 lead.

With the small but vocal crowd finally finding its voice the home side lifted, fullback Rhys Wesser finding the tryline for the 11th time this season to put the home side up by four points with 14 minutes remaining.

Debutant halfback Craig Trindall extended the gap to five points with a late field goal before Gorden's late four pointer.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP