Penrith’s woes on the road continued as they lost 24-22 to a Broughton Park side who were recording only their fourth North One West win of the season.
Penrith did not travel with their strongest squad but did have enough talent on show, especially behind the scrum, to have come away with a result.
Throughout the game they caused themselves more problems than the opposition did conceding a constant stream of penalties and turning the ball over far too easily.
They made a good enough start though, after a clever kick by Arran Pamphilon from two good phases of play put Penrith deep in the home 22 with the throw to the line-out.
They won the ball and moved it infield to win a penalty head on to the posts on the 22 which Mike Fearon kicked for a three point lead.
With George Graham involved in everything good the visitors did they extended their lead on 25 minutes. Andy Muir broke from a scrum on the 22 and fed Graham who in turn released Brad Taylor. He made ground before he found Manny Mbatha just into the 22, who still had plenty to do but he used his strength and shrugged off a couple of tackles to score in the corner.
The home side then got the upper hand and worked their way closer and closer to the Penrith line and eventually scored from a quickly taken penalty just five metres out.
The lead was down to a single point as half time loomed and yet again the home side were given a line-out in the attacking 22 courtesy of a penalty on half-way. The home line-out worked well and they mounted a catch and drive from it and crept towards the Cumbrians’ line.
The visitors did halt the drive but when the home scrum half peeled open off the back of the maul there was a gaping ten yard gap and he strolled through it to score under the posts.
Penrith trailed 14-8 at the break but had the lead back within five minutes and again it was thanks to Mbatha. Some cohesive play and a number of phases strung together followed by incisive running by Graham, Taylor and Jamie McNaughton put Mbatha in possession some 20 metres out.
Again his strength saw him make the line when he didn’t look favourite. Fearon’s conversion off the touchline gave Penrith the lead by a single point.
The advantage didn’t last long and they only had themselves to blame as they gifted possession in contact on half way and then conceded a penalty 35 metres out. Back chat gifted Broughton Park another ten metres and a much easier penalty which sailed over and restored their advantage.
Penrith’s penalty count was killing them and two conceded in quick succession saw the home side advance up the touchline deep into the visitor’s 22. Their line-out was once more effective and after a series of drive close to the Penrith line they forced their way over next to the posts and the converted try saw them lead by nine points.
The Cumbrians kept at it and had two throws to the line-out on the home line but couldn’t quite muscle their way over and when the home side cleared the ball to the 22 the danger looked to be over.
Ben Higgens took the line-out ball for the visitors and what followed was the only real piece of quality play all afternoon. The ball came to Pamphilon in the centre and McNaughton, filling in at outside centre, took a pop pass at pace and made a searing break to score under the posts.
The gap was now down to two points with ten minutes to play but the visitors didn’t threaten the home line again as penalties and wrong decisions kept them in their own half for the remainder of the game. It was a disappointing display but there was no real lack of effort. It was application and thought that were in short supply.
