Penrith couldn’t have had a better start to their competitive season than their comprehensive 60-0 victory over Wigton.
It earned them passage to the semi-final of the Cumbria County Cup.
They selected the best side they had available but were still short of several of their more experienced players especially behind the scrum.
Although well beaten Wigton were game for the whole 80 minutes of the game and tackled manfully throughout and when in possession did their utmost to break down the stubborn home defence.
In fact it was the visitors who started the brighter and had the majority of early possession but it was the home side who opened the scoring.
Nick Dudson kicked an accurate penalty to the corner and Craig Price threw to Archie Rattray jumping at the front of the Penrith line-out.
Good possession was secured and the forwards drove for the line from ten metres out. Price took the ball at the back of the maul and claimed the try as they rumbled over the line.
The hosts added a second try shortly after as Wigton attempted to clear their lines. Brad Taylor fielded the clearance kick and ran it back down the right, where he linked with Darren Lee.
He took play deep into the 22 where Adam Howe continued the attack and despite the attention of several defenders managed to carry them over the line with him to score.
Penrith’s set scrummage, with 18-year-old debutant Zak Parkin in the front row had their opposite numbers on the back foot and were making life difficult for the visiting half backs.
A knock-on at the base of the scrum saw Penrith with an attacking scrum on the visitors’ 22.
The ball came to Dudson, who slipped the ball back inside to Lee coming off the blind side wing and his power took him to the line.
The home side’s fourth try came from a shortened line-out and Andy Muir, standing in the backs, ran the ball up in midfield.
It was then quickly moved wide to the right and Taylor, with Lee outside him, picked the gap and made the break for the try.
Penrith scored a great team try in the last play of the first half. The ball went through a good number of hands but it was James Thompson, playing his first game for Penrith, who made the telling break.
The momentum was continued by Chris Jackson and the ball was moved wide to Ben Higgens on the left wing who played it nicely back inside to Dudson who claimed the try. Penrith led by 31 points to nil at the break scoring five tries and the second half followed the same pattern with a further five tries being scored.
Penrith’s scrum continued in the ascendancy and the next try was a penalty try. They were just about to score a pushover try from five metres when the visitors infringed.
The next try came when captain Howe made inroads to get his side in a good attacking position and after a period of pressure Taylor was able to claim his second try.
By this stage the young replacements had been introduced from the bench and Mark Mason was particularly influential on the left wing.
He was involved in the next score with Arran Pamphilon, which was finished off by Dudson and the ninth try was also created down the right wing and he was involved again as Taylor went in to claim his hat trick.
The final try came with Penrith on the attack on the visitors’ 22 as they did their best to avoid conceding another try but a clever cross field kick by Pamphilon to the corner was fielded by Muir for the tenth try.
This victory would tick most boxes for the Penrith coaches and of much more use than the trial games as they start their league campaign against Durham City on Saturday.
