Penrith produced another poor showing on the road, their game at Glossop was virtually a replay of their performance at Bowden a fortnight before.
A good start building a decent half-time lead, silly mistakes inviting the opposition back into the game, lifting their spirits, and then capitulation in the final quarter added-up to another game they really could, and should, have won 26-17.
Glossop were also a very similar side to Bowden, a big, physical experienced pack that weren’t that mobile and set of backs Penrith would expect to get the better of with their superior pace and flare.
Again that’s not the way it worked out with the visitors’ game management letting them down when it mattered.
The Cumbrians did start well though, for after an early penalty miss by the home side Penrith won turnover ball. They ran it up through the forwards before launching a sweeping move down the left flank.
Brad Taylor got away on the wide outside before turning the back inside to Jamie McNaughton who in turn found Arran Pamphilon to cross for a good try.
The home side then immediately replied with a try of their own when the visitors were caught short on their right, but the conversion drifted wide.
Jay Rossi, who had an excellent game in the centre, pushed his side further ahead when he chipped ahead when a move down the right looked to be snuffed out.
He was able to gather his own kick and as the cover got to him ground the ball as he rolled over the line with a tackler on his back. Mike Fearon’s conversion from wide out further extended the lead.
The visitors finished the half strongly as they stormed the home line, and a series of penalties by a desperate home defence led to kicks to the corner for attacking lineouts.
Penrith were able to secure the line-out ball but couldn’t quite muscle their way over the line. Josh Dowson was held up over the line and when they got a penalty head on to the posts on the 22 they took the kick and pulled their lead out to 17-5.
There was still time for the home side to launch a final assault on Penrith’s line before the half time whistle but excellent work, by first Rossi and then Dowson won turnover ball and they kept their lead intact.
Penrith lost Dowson at half time to a pulled calf muscle, which did not help their cause, but they started the second half well.
For 15 minutes they played sensible rugby in the Glossop half, which was the thing to do with a two score cushion and looked to be killing the game off which they had not done at Bowden.
Then a silly mistake let in the home side, following a speculative punt upfield. Penrith ran the ball out of their own 22 when it wasn’t on. They lost possession and with most of their team the wrong side of the ball conceded a simple, needless converted try.
The nature of the game was then changed completely. The home pack, that had looked to be flagging, got their tails up and a vocal home crowd smelt blood and got noisily behind their side.
Penrith then again contributed to their own downfall. They looked to be making good progress down their right when they lost possession which immediately fell into the hands of the home winger who was away, with no one anywhere near him and he ran the ball in under the posts.
Glossop were now two points to the good and although Penrith huffed and puffed they never looked like getting the better of the home pack who were now in their element and added a fourth try through their prop.
Penrith now have a week off and a fortnight to lick their wounds and come out fighting at home to Carlisle. There were some positives, the main one being the excellent performance of young flanker Josh Winder in both attack and defence.
