After their wake-up call the week before against Middlesbrough, Penrith couldn’t be accused of complacency or underestimating the opposition in the first 20 minutes against Aspatria at Bower Park.
They started the game at breakneck speed and were three tries to the good in the 12th minute and then scored the forth bonus try in the 20th before going on to win 48-17.
It was a third straight defeat for Aspatria in Regional 2 North, which looks ominous, as they prop up the table without a point but needs to be put into context.
The standard of rugby that brought success for Aspatria last season has not dramatically dipped nor has the determination of the side to do well. However, the bar has been raised significantly in terms of the challenges delivered by a new set of opponents.
Only a handful of games into the season and already this 12-team league has divided into two distinct sections. At the top, five sides look set to breakaway and form a group that will challenge for the available promotion spots.
Unluckily for Aspatria in all three games played to date they have faced opponents from this select group.
It all started for Penrith when a George Graham break got the visitors up to the home 22 where they won a penalty which Jamie McNaughton kicked accurately to the corner. Hooker, Craig Price found Sam Wilson with a throw to the tail of the line-out and joined the back of the driving maul to claim the try as the Penrith pack eased their opposite numbers over their own line.
The Aspatria restart didn’t go ten metres and from the scrum on the centre spot the visitors worked the phases till they got themselves to the 22. It was there that stand-off Nick Dudson worked a switch with his inside centre Dylan Cowperthwaite which saw him breach the first line of defence to be faced with the full back who he neatly stepped to score by the posts.
The third try came when the ball ran loose as the home three quarters attempted to run the ball, Dudson was first on the scene and hacked the ball deep into the home 22 with Brad Taylor in hot pursuit. He didn’t quite get to the ball and it was gathered by the last home defender who then dropped the ball behind his own line, by which time Dudson had arrived and fell on the ball to score.
The bonus point try came from an attacking line-out on the home 22. This time Price broke off and charged for the line but was stopped just short. Penrith recycled the ball and moved it right where there looked to be little on, Jay Rossi then ran the ball left against the grain, behind the previous ruck and then blind to find the gap between the last two defenders and slide between them to score.
At 0-26 Aspatria had every right to be concerned about what would happen in the remaining one hour of play. To the relief of home supporters the Black Reds picked themselves up off the floor and began to meet the Penrith threat on equal terms.
On 22 minutes a penalty was taken by Joe Beaty to at least remove the nil from score-line and six minutes later the excellent Greg Dickinson took full advantage of a flowing move by the home team to go over.
With the arrears now reduced to 10-26 Aspatria had at least given Penrith something to think about. Overall play was now relatively even and neither side could improve their position before half-time.
Whatever was discussed at the interval by the Penrith coaching staff worked and the visitors started the second period a lot brighter than they finished the first. They went close a number of times with Wilson amongst most of it and he was held up over the line.
Their efforts then earned them a penalty in the 22 which Fraser Nicolson stroked over and then it was the home sides turn to be in the ascendancy.
It looked the correct decision to take the penalty as Aspatria enjoyed their best spell of the game. It was their turn to launch waves of attack against a Penrith wall. Graham made a try saving tackle in the corner but on 54 minutes Penrith had no answer to Jack Gaskell’s bullocking surge over the line to put Aspatria back in contention at 17:29.
Thoughts of a remarkable comeback were soon shattered. A well-orchestrated rumble by the Penrith pack could not be halted by the home defence and Andy Muir barrelled over. The game moved into the final quarter and with the score favouring Penrith 17-36 the end result was no longer in doubt.
Penrith then scored the team try of the day as they strung phase after phase together, whilst remaining patient., Wilson then got the try his afternoon’s work deserved going over in the corner.
The final try was a length of the field effort. Aspatria, who never gave up, were attacking but lost the ball on the visitor’s line.
It fell to Taylor who immediately looked to run and he got to the 22 before releasing Rossi. He cut infield beating the cover and set Graham away on half way who found another gear and kept ahead of the chasers to score under the posts.
For Aspatria a try bonus point did not seem out of the question. However, in chasing the game they were leaving the back door open and Penrith were good enough to take advantage of any lapse.
This resulted in those two late scores that Aspatria really did not deserve to concede but fully endorsed what a ruthless league this is turning out to be.
