Following their excellent performance at Percy Park it was down to earth with a resounding bump for Penrith.
Because they played so well the week before a little complacency might have crept in as they were beaten 38-24 at Winters Park by a competitive Middlesbrough side.
They were no mugs with a solid pack and two or three quality three quarters, yet the home side had the ability to come out on top.
On the day, though, they were guilty of not being at their best and blew a number of try-scoring opportunities.
They should have realised early on they were not in for an easy afternoon as by the third minute they had only touched the ball once and that was a knock on.
Then they found themselves behind as a penalty kick to the corner set up an attacking line-out for the visitors, which would be a recurring theme to the afternoon.
The visitors won the ball and got the maul to the line. The home defence had managed to halt the drive but two phases later under the posts the home defence was missing as the ball carrier strode through the ruck to score.
They found themselves further behind after they won turn-over ball and counter attacked only to lose the ball themselves and see it run back over 60 metres for a second try. With less than ten minutes gone they were 14 points adrift.
Penrith did come straight back and score following a line-out when the visitors allowed the restart to go straight into touch.
The throw overshot the intended jumper and went straight to Adam Howe at the tail who charged his way to just short of the line, where the support arrived.
George Graham fed Andy Muir, who at full pace from two yards out burst over the line.
Penrith were back in the game and closed the gap further when Jamie McNaughton fielded a clearance kick and looked to run the ball back. He drew the first chaser and fed Brad Taylor who was in space on the left.
Taylor had two men outside him but used them as decoys and carved through to score himself, so his side now trailed by two points.
As the half drew to a close the Cumbrians were coming under pressure as the visitors got up a head of steam. They defended well but were pulled up for a high tackle and the penalty was kicked to the corner.
The workmanlike Middlesbrough pack set up the catch and drive from the line-out and as the home pack struggled to hold them the referee saw enough to award a penalty try.
There was enough time left for the home side to come back and they won a penalty under the visitor’s posts and opted for the scrum.
The set plays were a bit of a mish-mash, for although Penrith’s line-outs left a lot to be desired they were bossing the scrums and now even with only seven forwards this was the right call. They had received a yellow card when the penalty try was given.
Scrum possession was steady and Sam Wilson broke from number eight to feed Graham who just failed to reach the line but Archie Rattray was in close support and drove over the line.
Penrith trailed 17-21 at the break and looked to have got back on even terms after a poor start and could look to move on but it didn’t happen.
Wilson and Graham combined again and from within their own half and Graham sent an inviting grubber kick bouncing towards the corner but with the line at their mercy the ball was knocked on.
The backs then had a number of good chances but they were wasteful and the accuracy required was missing as the ball was passed directly into touch three times.
All this gifted the visitors the ball, and the home side got on the wrong side of the referee by antagonising him further which did not help their cause.
Middlesbrough kicked another two penalties to the corner to set up another two catch and drive tries.
They also scored a sixth try as the home side desperately tried to run the ball out of their own 22.
The afternoon was going from bad to worse but Penrith did manage to score a fourth try to salvage a bonus point.
They kicked a penalty of their own to the corner and Howe scored from the driven maul set up from the line-out possession.
