The Penrith contingent that travelled to Cleckheaton on Saturday were delighted to come home with a bonus point 40-20 win from their first game of the season.
It was a good test for them against a side that finished one place higher in Regional 1 North East than the Cumbrians had finished in the North West.
This opening result mirrors the start to last season when they won their opening match at Stockport but the side’s management team will be hoping it doesn’t continue as it was their only away win all last year.
Penrith made an inauspicious start to the game as they knocked on in their own 22 from the kick off giving the home side an attacking scrum.
After the first scrum had to be re-set the second attempt saw the Penrith eight shunt their opposite numbers clean off their own ball.
Afterwards they showed their dominance all game giving the home pack a torrid time at the set scrum.
Other than that the two teams were fairly evenly matched but it was the Cumbrian side who struck first.
Ant Davies won clean line-out ball on the home 22 and it was moved into midfield where Harley Johnson burst through the centre and was able to get the ball away to Jay Rossi who finished the move to claim the opening try which Rob Coward converted.
Cleckheaton were playing down a slight slope and with the breeze at their backs their stand-off was able to keep pegging the visitors back in their own half and they struck back midway through the first half.
A poor clearance by the Cumbrian side was run back at speed and the ball moved smartly from right to left where they created an overlap and scored in the corner. The conversion went wide and the visitors led by two points.
The home side conceded a string of penalties for high tackles and Penrith opted for a scrum from one some 15 metres out.
The Cleckheaton defence may have been expecting an attack through the forwards but the steady scrummage ball was moved quickly wide by Johnson and Isaac Murray and Coward, up from fullback, found the gap and carried a tackler over the line with him.
In doing so Coward sustained a lower leg injury and took no further part in the game. It was to be the only real blot on the day’s proceedings.
The home side clawed three points back with a penalty with the last kick of the first half and Penrith led 14-8 at the break.
They were able to play the game a lot deeper in home territory in the second half with the use of the strengthening breeze. Penrith’s stand-off Murray played a dual role moving to full back when the home side had the ball.
The visitors scored almost immediately when Rossi went close and Peter Gower stepped back inside two cover tacklers but couldn’t quite make the line.
The ball came to Murray who drove between two tacklers and just got the ball down for an unconverted try.
There was still little to pick between the sides and although the visitors led by 11 points the game was still in the balance.
As the contest went into the final quarter Penrith added their bonus point try and didn’t look in any real danger after that.
They had their pack to thank as they drove the home eight off their own ball deep in their own 22.
Greg Wrathall gathered the ball and slipped it to George Graham who was held but got the ball away to Rossi and he went over without anyone laying a hand on him.
The home side came briefly back into it with a converted try but were still two scores adrift when captain Graham sealed it with a break from his own 22.
He looked likely to make the line but fed Rossi who the cover got to before Mark Mason drove for the line but was again wrapped up.
The chance looked to have gone but Murray found Angus Dixon who picked his way through the last few defenders to score under the posts.
Graham was again the provider as the Cumbrians put the game out of sight.
A Johnson half break and pass put him in acres of space and this time he released Murray who went in under the posts unopposed.
The home did score a consolation and the game was re-started with ten seconds on the clock but that was that.
It was an excellent opening to the new season with many positives from a side with a lot of new faces in it and plenty to work on.
