Penrith were expecting a sterner test at home against Harrogate compared with their away win at Cleckheaton in their opening league game and they certainly got it.
In the end they were able to follow up that 40-20 first win with a much closer 26-24 victory at Winters Park.
Harrogate were a big well drilled, well coached outfit with a huge pack and in the first half looked as if they might run away with the game.
In the first quarter they pulled out a 14-0 lead but although their play was impressive the two scores were down to the home side’s errors.
The first converted try came when the home side took a quick tap penalty and although they made ground lost control of the ball.
It was shifted sharply to their left winger who was in acres of space and had the pace to outrun the cover.
The second came when the Cumbrians lost the ball on the visitors’ line as they tried to force a score following an attacking five metre line-out.
Again the ball was gifted to the opposition via an interception and although the breakaway was halted on the home 22 Harrogate managed to keep possession and work the ball to the opposite wing to find the gap as the home defenders scrambled back.
At this point Penrith were competing well, they were making as many chances, if not more, than the visitors but were just not finishing them and were coughing up the ball on the away try line.
George Graham worked an opening for Jack Gaskell and he galloped deep into the attacking 22 where he found Jay Rossi with an overhead pass.
He almost made the line and again the ball was lost inches short.
Isaac Murray also found himself in space after a great break but the ball was lost and nothing came of it.
As the first half was drawing to a close Murray kicked a long touch finder from a penalty to the corner for a five-metre line-out.
Possession was secured and there were a number of drives for the line before the visitors snuffed out the attack, but not to the liking of the referee.
A second penalty was kicked to the corner, and this time it was Joe Kirkup who tidied-up ball at the back of the line-out out and drove for the line.
Gaskell then almost got there before Scott Lancaster piled over their winger to score in the corner.
Penrith hadn’t really deserved to trail by 14 points but at the break they were back in the game at 14-5.
After the first play of the second half they were right back in it. They kicked off and soon won turn-over ball as the visitors knocked on. Murray and Harley Johnson took play up the left wing before the ball then came right. Graham fed Rossi who took contact and got the ball back to Graham.
He continued right away from the forwards and found Nick Dudson on the wing facing three defenders, who went outside the first and cut back between the other two and went over in the corner for a very well taken try. Murray converted off the post from wide out.
Harrogate came back and used their large pack to good effect, as they kept the ball in the scrum just inside the home half and won a penalty.
It was kicked to the corner and they worked the catch and drive from the line-out perfectly but crucially missed a kickable conversion to lead 19-12.
The longer the game went on the more possession and field position the home side got.
They were on the visitors’ line and not for the first time lost possession when a Harrogate forward then tried to drive the ball clear.
Lancaster and Adam Howe knocked him back and put him to ground over his own line. The Cumbrians had a five metre scrum and the pack provided a steady platform for number eight Greg Wrathall to drive for the line.
He was inches short as were Norman Jackman, Graham and Wrathall again before Sam Wilson powered forward to ground the ball on the line.
Murray then had a conversion marginally further out than his previous one and he struck this one even sweeter and it sailed over to tie the scores at 19 apiece.
The home side continued to take the game to the visitors and were again pressing strongly where Wilson went close and Lancaster was stopped on the line.
Then from close quarters Howe burrowed over and Murray chipped over a much simpler conversion and the home side led by seven with 20 minutes to go.
For most of the final quarter they looked to be holding Harrogate at bay but with four minutes to go their left winger got away up the middle of the field.
The home defence scrambled back and although they couldn’t avoid conceding the try it was right in the corner and the conversion went wide and they still led but just by two.
Penrith quickly turned the ball over after the re-start and for the final minutes saw out the game on the front foot deep in the visitors half in full control of the ball, only putting it into touch once the 80 minutes was up.
From looking like getting an object lesson from a much bigger side Penrith had battled away and showed just what grit and grim determination could do.
At the end of the game they must have been exhausted, battling all afternoon against lads two or three stones heavier and inches bigger but it was the home side that finished the stronger.
With two wins under their belt things don’t get any easier on Saturday as they make the long trip to Driffield who are also on maximum points.
