Penrith managed to play their game at Anselmians at the second attempt and went down 26-22.
They had travelled down to the Wirral last weekend to be faced with an unplayable, waterlogged pitch.
Clearly there had been a great deal of work done on the playing surface in the interim and it was as good as it possibly could have, given the state of it seven days earlier.
The game was of massive importance to both sides sitting just above, but uncomfortably close to the relegation dogfight.
The Cumbrians got themselves into a position to win the game but couldn’t hang on as the big, strong home pack took control in the final quarter.
Penrith have been guilty of starting poorly in games, especially away from home but they couldn’t have got off to a much better start as they dominated the first quarter being held up over the line before they finally opened the scoring on 18 minutes.
From good quality scrum possession the ball was played directly to big Joe Kirkup who was playing in the inside centre berth.
He drove the ball up and then it came quickly left and slick passing from Isaac Murray and Brad Taylor put Rob Coward in space on the wide outside and he went in at the corner.
He then saw his conversion attempt come back off the post but his side led by five.
Coward then saw a penalty attempt from halfway go wide and it was on the half hour before the home side showed some attacking intent.
Previously they had only one incursion into the visitor’s 22 when Penrith conceded two penalties in succession allowing them an attacking line-out.
Now they were getting their game together and looked dangerous and a couple of passes out of contact got them over the line but they were held up.
From a penalty they got over the line again and again good defence didn’t allow then to ground the ball. But it was all Anselmians and a missed tackle then let them in under the posts and the conversion was good for a two point lead.
The visitors came back and kept the ball well, going through the phases until Kirkup forced the half break in front of the posts. George Graham was on his shoulder to take the pass and touch down under the sticks. Coward’s conversion was the last kick of the half and the visitors had done well to come straight back after conceding to lead 12-7 at the break.
The Cumbrians looked to be in charge early in the second half when Sam Wilson broke off the back of a scrum on half-way and set-up Kirkup.
He broke clean through and when he was brought down Graham and Jay Rossi got the ball wide to Murray who faced one defender with two men outside him.
He chose to take the defender on and hit him 10 metres out but had the strength to get himself to the line for the score. Coward’s kick was good and the visitors increased their lead to 19-7.
From this point the home forwards took matters into their own hands and played simple, powerful strong running rugby.
There wasn’t a great deal of finesse involved, just straight forward one-up driving play. The ball was rarely more than one pass away from the breakdown but it was effective.
As the game progressed they spent increasing amounts of time in possession and much of it in the visitors’ 22.
They scored an unconverted try and then a converted try, both from close range to level the scores at 19 apiece.
Penrith came back and won a penalty on the 22 head on to the posts and Coward knocked it over for a slender lead with just over 10 minutes to go.
The home forwards cranked it up again, got into the attacking 22 and patiently inched their way to the line drive after drive and inevitably got their fourth try despite some brave defence.
Penrith did have one chance to steal the game at the death. Graham got Kirkup away down the right wing and as the cover closed he hacked ahead. Rossi got to the ball first and he hacked it into the 22 where he was able to gather it. But he was bundled over by the cover and couldn’t get the ball away.
The attackers looked favourites to win the ball at the breakdown but the ball ran loose and Anselmians were awarded the scum for a knock on which they won, then banged the ball into touch to end the contest.
