Penrith’s previous game against Kendal, where their victory had secured the points to maintain their Level 5 league status, had felt like the climax of their league season.
So Saturday’s trip to Wirral had a distinct end of season feel to it and they took a makeshift side but were always in contention, before losing 24-12.
Although there were a number of changes it was far from a weak team but there were six front row players in the 18 and a number playing out of position.
The game showed how far this side had come since the beginning of the season when they had their first taste of Level 5 rugby for ten years.
They faced a side that had had a strong season finishing in fourth place behind the three semi-professional sides, and they were on their own soft pitch in a howling gale. Yet and it was still one of those “could have, maybe should have won games.”
The Cumbrians were certainly in contention throughout and had they not conceded a couple of soft tries and taken one or two more of their own chances who knows what might have happened.
The home side had first use of the slope and strong wind and Penrith had no choice but run every piece of possession that came their way as kicking into the wind was not an option.
Their first line kick for touch from a penalty ended up 20 yards behind the kicker once the wind got hold of it. By and large the visitors more than matched the home side the only problem being every time they managed to claw their way into the wind anywhere near the home 22 they only had to lose possession of the ball and it was banged back over their heads to start again from scratch.
Their position would have been much worse if Matty Boustead had not been having such an outstanding game at full back where he did manage to field most of the kicks and run them back.
The home side managed two tries in the first half which was a testament to the visitors’ defence as they spent a good deal of the half on the back foot in their own 22.
As the half drew to a close the wind rather abated and Penrith did have a couple of chances. George Graham had made the initial break and Andy Rogers and Joe Kirkup made more ground and Tom Kirk was just inches short of the line.
From a driven maul Rogers had got the ball over the line and grounded but was pulled back for accidental offside with a man in front of him.
Trailing 12-0 at the break, and with the elements now in their favour a win on their travels looked as if it may be on the cards given the first half performance.
Unfortunately, as often happens, the side who now have the wind at their back, relax thinking the hard work has all been done and their intensity drops.
This is exactly what happened here and Penrith shipped two soft tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half, that was in effect the match decided. But they continued to carry the fight to the home side and scored two tries.
Dylan Thompson won the line-out following a penalty kicked to the corner and the forwards drove for the line, Kirk, at scrum half, went close but Archie Rattray took control ten metres out and broke off the back of the maul at pace, taking two defenders over the line with him.
With ten minutes to go the Cumbrians dominant set scrum drove the home forwards off their own ball close to the line and after a number of phases Scott Lancaster found the gap to score from close range.
The visitors now had a chance of a bonus point if they could manage another score in the closing minutes or even an unlikely win from two but they couldn’t quite find the opening but were far from disgraced in this lively encounter.
There were a couple of landmark moments during the afternoon, Mike Stephens had played his last game for the first team in season 2018/19 where he finished on 299 games.
He had come back to the club mid-season and played handily for the seconds but when he came on in the first half he hit the 300 mark which is no mean feat. He maybe a year or two older but he had certainly not lost any of his physicality or cussedness.
Scott Rattray had named himself on the bench and when he came on for the final few minutes, he played with son Archie, and that has certainly not happened in Penrith’s first team in the last 50 years.
Penrith now have their final league game away at top of the table Macclesfield a week on Saturday who have to win to keep their noses in front of Rossendale, so it will be another far from easy trip.
Then they have three Papa John Cup group games with the hopes of a Twickenham outing still alive at the end of them.
