Penrith completed their league season on Saturday with their rearranged game against local rivals Kendal after the tragic events on their ground at the beginning of March.
Both clubs fielded weakened sides which resulted in the home side keeping the game as much in the forwards as they could where they were much stronger and avoiding over using their three quarters as they were short in the backs.
Kendal looked to open things out when they could which is the absolute polar opposite of how these matches have been played in previous years.
Although the home side dominated the opening half hour it was Kendal who had the first scoring chance, Penrith’s forwards were penalised after reacting to some skulduggery from a visiting back row forward on the referee’s blind side and the penalty was kicked deep into the home 22.
Although this occurred out of the ref’s sight it was in front of a stand full of spectators and an array of cameras videoing the game. The home pack successfully defended the attacking lineout and were soon hammering on the visitors’ line.
Kendal were only keeping the home pack at bay by conceding a string of penalties on their own line, three times Penrith opted for a 5m scrum when awarded a penalty and on the third occasion they managed to score, steady ball went to the backs but was immediately switched back to James Newman on the blindside wing. He looked for his forwards and after a couple of phases Adam Howe crashed over.
The home side continued to press and scored from a penalty kicked to the corner, the maul set up from the lineout was collapsed but Sam Wilson forced his way up the short side and scored in the corner.
Lock Jack Tunnicliffe looked to have scored after a strong run up the left wing but was adjudged to have been held, Ant Davies was also held up under the posts after being set up be a break from Lee Chapman. The resulting kick out went straight into touch and the home forwards had a scrum under the posts.
Wilson went close after breaking from No8 and Luke Couston was also just short before Newman came in off the wing to act as scrum half and spotted the gap just to the right of the ruck and sniped through the gap to score. 30 minutes gone and the home side looked in complete control but then they fell foul of some penalty decisions.
A penalty was kicked to the corner and Kendal’s forwards worked the driven maul from the lineout well to open their account and on the stroke of half time scored again from a penalty to the corner.
This time after a number of drives for the line they went in under the posts. After having much the better of the first 40 minutes the home side only had a three point advantage to show for their efforts leading 15-12.
They started half on the front foot, Craig Price went close early on and after five minutes the quick thinking George Graham took a tap penalty on the 22 and was away and scored before the defence reacted.
Their lead was soon back down to three points, play broke down in midfield and the visitors got the ball away to their backs in space and they took full advantage and scored down the right wing.
Penrith again extended their lead, this time following a penalty kicked to the corner. They worked the catch and drive from the lineout to perfection and drove the opposition forwards over their own line for Andy Rogers to score.
The home side led 27-19 but there was still almost half an hour to go and the visitors were far from finished. They moved to within three points when their scrum half was awake to the possibilities and took a quick penalty on the 22 and was able to scamper in.
Then with just over 10 minutes to go Kendal got their backs into the game and they again came up with the goods and they eased into a four-point lead.
This was the first time Penrith had been behind and it looked as if they might have blown it but the game was to take another turn. Nick Dudson, who had kicked excellently throughout the game, put another penalty right in the corner.
His forwards won the lineout but a break up the touchline was forced into touch and they looked as if they had missed their chance.
Kendal had the throw in to the lineout on their own line but missed their own jumper, the ball fell to Scott Lancaster, he didn’t catch it first time but juggled it over the line watched by everyone and just had to fall to the floor to score.
Less than five minutes to go and would there be more drama, the home forwards decided not, they kept their hands on the ball, kicked the penalties up the touchline as an evermore desperate Kendal infringed.
The game ended on the Kendal line where they conceded yet another penalty, Graham tapped and put it into touch for a 31-32 win that looked odds on after half an hour and then almost slipped from their grasp.
It all moves on to Wigton with seven days to recover and the county cup to play for.
