Penrith produced an outstanding performance to dent the 100 per cent record of Regional Two North leaders Morpeth.
The Cumbrians were magnificent in their 17-13 victory, especially as it was on their rivals’ own ground.
They had travelled knowing that nothing less than their very best A game would see them retain their interest in taking the league title.
The home side had won all of their eight games played so far and all with a four try bonus point.
The opening half hour saw the two side testing each other out to the limit and it was the defences on both sides that were coming out on top. They were in effect just cancelling each other out.
Morpeth’s larger pack tried to impose their physicality on proceedings but the Penrith forwards held firm.
They defended a number of attacking line-outs close to their line and snuffed out the attempted catch and drives.
Andy Muir and Adam Howe, in particular, took the battle to the hosts with ball in hand driving well over the gain line.
Neither side really threatened although the home side had the ball over the Penrith line after a couple of nice passes out of contact only to be held up under the posts.
It was looking like a scoreless first half with just five minutes to go when the visitors ran the ball out of defence.
Arran Pamphilon kicked the ball into space on the home 22 where it was secured by the defenders, but the chase was good and immediate pressure was applied and a knock on was forced.
The ever alert George Graham was on to it and shrugged off two tacklers before releasing Scott Lancaster who stormed deep into the 22. The ball then came to Mike Fearon who found Nick Dudson, and faced by the last defender he had Matty Boustead on his shoulder, so drew the man and Boustead went over in the corner.
After 30-odd minutes of stalemate Penrith scored from the restart.
Muir did well to secure the ball and Graham set Craig Price away down the short side. He made the break leaving the tackler on his backside and ran clear.
He then fed the ball back inside to Graham who got into the opposition half before finding James Thompson outside him and he had a clear run to the corner from 30 metres.
After a very close first half the visitors would be delighted to be ten points to the good at the break.
If they could be faulted, on what was an excellent afternoon for them, it would be needlessly conceding soft penalties.
This got them into trouble at the start of the second half when they successfully defended a line-out in the corner following a penalty but in the process conceded another.
This time the home side opted to scummage and crossed for a try on the second drive down the blind side.
The conversion was good so they trailed by three and they were soon on level terms following another penalty, this time under the posts.
The momentum appeared to be with the home side but they were down to 14 after the restart when Archie Rattray was taken out in the air.
Fraser Nicolson took on the resulting penalty but it went narrowly wide although they did score from the line-out following the home side’s clearance kick.
Lancaster tidied up loose ball at the line-out and when the ball came to Fearon in mid-field he chipped the ball to the wing which Jamie McNaughton took without breaking his stride.
He pulled the last defender wide and fed the ball back into Dudson who crossed for the score, Nicolson converted and the visitors led by seven.
Morpeth slotted another penalty to cut the arrears to four as the game went into the final quarter.
The visitors played out most of the final 20 minutes without too much alarm but it was inevitable the final minutes would be on the Penrith line.
They held on grimly but hold out they did and much to their relief the final whistle went from a Morpeth knock on.
This had been a monumental defensive performance by the whole team.
No one shirked a tackle and it would be the side’s best away showing for many years. Rattray headed the tackle count but all the rest were not far behind.
This now sets-up Penrith for a nail-biting second half of the season as it looks unlikely Morpeth will drop any points before the return fixture.
To remain in touch the Cumbrians will have to have a near perfect record themselves and be within striking distance for the re-match at Winters Park on February 11.
