Penrith were badly in need of the 38-15 win they secured on Saturday against Anselmians in Regional 1 North West.
It hasn’t got them out of relegation zone but it has kept them in contention and within striking distance of three of the teams just above them.
It was only their second win of the season but will have given their confidence a boost going into, first a derby game at Kendal, which will be keenly contested and then what they hope will be two winnable home league games against Wirral and Stockport.
Penrith started brightly against fellow strugglers Anselmians and with a little more accuracy might have scored in the opening minutes. They looked to have unlocked the visitors’ defence on the right only for a pass to be intercepted that took play from one 22 to the other.
This possession wasn’t wasted as the visitors went through the phases before winning a penalty head onto the posts which they kicked for a three point lead.
The Cumbrians almost came straight back when the kick off was knocked on and the visitors penalised at the scrum. Ever alert Ashton Hook took the penalty quickly and it ended up with Adam Howe being unlucky to be held up over the line in the corner.
It wasn’t long, though, before the hosts took the lead. From a ruck some ten metres out, a little show and go by scrum half Hook saw him break the first line of defence. He almost made the line as the cover got to him but Joe Kirkup was alive to the situation and took the pass on his shoulder to crash over.
Five minutes later the home side extended their lead after they won turn over ball in their own half and moved it quickly left.
Archie Rattray made a clean break through the scrambling defensive line, and the run was continued by Scott Lancaster who was being run down in the 22 when he threw a overhead pass back inside for Joe Spencely to dive over.
They added a third try only three minutes later when a penalty was kicked to the corner and the home forwards executed a training ground catch and drive from the line-out. The referee carefully examined the maul collapsed over the line and awarded a penalty try.
Although the home side were three tries to the good they were not dominating possession and were spending increasingly long periods defending in their own 22.
The visitors were huffing and puffing but the home defence looked to be more than up to the task until just before half time when a gap finally appeared and Anselmians got the score to reward their hard work.
Penrith were ready for half time and the chance for a re-set and looked much stronger after the break.
Kirkup claimed a second try after an intense period of pressure from the home forwards and this was followed by a fifth score when Mike Fearon set-up Spencely on a lovely angled run. It took him clean through the cover and he sent Rattray over with a defender clinging to him in vain.
The home side now led 29-8 as the game went into the final quarter but they then conceded a messy try from close quarters that moved the visitors within two scores.
As the game went into the final ten minutes Fearon calmed the home nerves, first with a penalty off the 10 metre line and then an easier one head on to the posts on the 22.
But it was young Isaac Murray who had the final word. Firstly when he ran back a kick, tidied up for him by Spencely, from inside his own half to opposition 22. There he set up Craig Price who was unlucky not to be awarded a try and adjudged to be held up.
The ensuing kick out came to Murray who calmly gathered it and put over a drop goal from some 35 metres much to the delight of the home support.
The win means Penrith are still in the mix and a couple more wins could see them rise several places.
The youngsters in the side again did them proud and the first appearance of Sam Wilson this season certainly gave them all a lift with his experience, physicality and positive attitude.
