Penrith made a largely disappointing start to the new season, they gifted newly promoted Percy Park a healthy lead before finishing strongly to lose by a brace of points, they did bag a couple of bonus points that made the home defeat almost bearable.
Percy Park started enthusiastically and had much the better of things, they should have scored a push over try but were thwarted by a knock on, they were to take the lead shortly after, not by their own endeavours but a gift by the home side. Penrith dropped the ball running a move on the 22, the visitors hacked the ball on to the line, the home defence still had the opportunity to touch it down for the 22 drop out but that was missed and the Park centre scored the simplest of tries.
Things then swung the way of the home side who enjoyed a bit of possession and were able to put it to some use. A good run by Kris Bratton took them up to the 22 and when the recycled ball came into midfield Mike Hawley burst through two tackles to score under the posts, James Ellar’s conversion gave them the lead. They seemed to be warming to their task when good work again by Hawley forced the penalty and Ellar’s kick stretched out the lead.
It didn’t last long as Penrith knocked on at the restart and the visitors took advantage of the possession and took play up to the home line and had an attacking 5m scrum. The home defence was poor from the scrum and the Park stand off strolled in for a converted try. Christmas came again as the half wore on and the visitor’s centre intercepted a telegraphed miss move to run in another converted try, this time unopposed from his own 10m line.
Penrith’s defenders close to the sbreakdown stood off tackles and Park were quick to take advantage and the winger was put in nicely at the corner for their fourth try and a 26-10 lead as half time beckoned. The home side were at sixes and sevens but were still trying to run the ball and kept themselves in the game with a try just before the break, the ball was moved to the right, vice captain Ryan Johnson made inroads before the ball ran lose but then bounced kindly for Jon Fell on the wing and he went in at the corner.
Down 26-15 at half time Penrith’s task got that much steeper as they conceded a further try, this one was totally down to the excellent play of the visitors as they finished a sweeping move in the corner, worse followed as the away side kicked an easy penalty and at 34-15 down Penrith were staring down the barrel.
To their credit they stick to their task and had much the better of the final quarter. Mike Hawley, who was at the heart of most things they did well, made a break and kicked ahead. As the ball bounced on the 22 Mike Stephens was first on the scene and although unable to finish off the move himself the ball came to Gary Hodgson who made the line to begin the fight back.
Penrith were now all over Park who were clinging on to their lead for grim death as the home side piled on the pressure and spent long periods in the 22. Desperate defence was yielding up penalties for the home side and second team captain Lee Chapman, off the bench at prop, had the confidence to take a quick tap himself and two passes later Bratton squeezed in at the corner. Hooker Ian McDowell took over the kicking duties from Ellar who was now off the field and goaled the conversion from the touchline to put his side within a score at 27-34.
Penrith piled forward again and again they profited from a quick penalty close to the away line and again Bratton squeezed in at the corner. This time though McDowell could not repeat the trick and Penrith were two points adrift. As the game restarted the clock clicked into overtime and they could not complete their fight back but from a perilous position they had secured two bonus points, one for scoring four tries and the other for finishing within seven points of the winners. They could also hold their heads up high for the way they finished the game if not the way they played in the first half.
There are always positives in these situations, the form of Hawley and Bratton was outstanding and young Ben Littleton when he came on at scrum half showed great promise as he has in the previous trial games.
Penrith tend to struggle without Steve Wood, this season’s captain and his return next week will give the side a lift on their trip to Sandal.