Penrith needed four points from their game on Saturday to absolutely guarantee level 5 rugby next season before, two very difficult away games.
As it turned out they were delighted with an emphatic bonus point win by 27-7 against fierce local rivals Kendal.
These games are always hard fought and this one was no different from the off with no quarter asked for or given and the home side’s intensity in defence was there for all to see as they warmed to their task.
Penrith looked the more dangerous with ball in hand and opened the scoring just over ten minutes into the game.
Sam Wilson broke right off a scrum in the middle of the park backed up by George Graham and they made a few yards over the gain line. When the ball came back left Andy Rogers and then Josh Dowson made progress deep into the visitor’s 22.
Dylan Thompson and Graham again drove for the line and from the ruck on the line the ball was fed to Scott Lancaster who picked the gap and dived over for Rob Coward to add a simple conversion.
Kendal had a difficult afternoon but one area they bossed to the liking of the referee was the breakdown and they won numerous penalties throughout the game which enabled them to kick to touch and maintain decent field position for the majority of the afternoon.
A penalty to the corner led to their try to level the scores, they weren’t quite able to force the maul over from the lineout but were awarded another penalty which they ran. After Ben Leacock had made ground.
Steven Nelson broke away but was stopped near the line. Reece Tomlinson was in support, to force his way over, for his first try of the season. Aaron Stephens added the conversion.
The home side were able to retake the lead when Kendal were pulled up for being offside head on to the posts 30 metres out. With it looking like a close game Penrith opted for the kick at goal and Coward duly obliged with a nicely struck penalty.
The home side continued to have the better of things and looked to be relishing their defensive work and it was this that led to their second try.
Defending on half-way as the visitors attempted to make some headway constant pressure led to the ball running loose in midfield.
Jay Rossi was sharp on to it and support from Archie Rattray and then Lancaster got it wide on the right to Matty Boustead who went outside the winger, brushed the full back aside and ran around under the posts.
The home side led 17-7 at the break and looked good value for it and if there was doubt about the result it was just about put to bed from the first play of the second half.
Penrith were able to regain possession from their drop out and the ball came into midfield were Rossi was caught on the 22. He’s a slippery player in contact and he spun one way and then the other and made 15 yards he didn’t have a right to and the visitors were on the back foot.
The ball came left to Ryan Banks who was in heaps of space and set off for the line and looked as if he might make it. He was hauled down just short but two sharp passes saw Ross Jackson go in at the corner unopposed and that was the game all over bar the shouting.
If there was any doubt midway through the half the home side definitely put the game to bed. It looked as if the visitors might have lifted the siege with an interception but it was adjudged to be from an offside position and a five metre scrum was opted for.
The home eight were having the better set piece scrums and inched their opponents towards their own line. There was wheel to the left and Wilson saw his chance and broke from number eight to bulldoze over from close range.
The visitors had plenty of possession in the final quarter as the stream of penalties continued for them but they failed to make any progress as the home defence stood firm.
They played the final five minutes in the home 22 winning a number of penalties and ran them all also to no avail.
There was no nail-biting finish to the game which is often the case in these clashes but the home players and supporters were more than pleased.
It hadn’t been a thriller but dogged hard work had got them exactly what they wanted and there was no need to check the results in the clubhouse after the game as they’d sorted their survival out where they wanted to, on the pitch.
