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Sat 21 Oct 2023 · Regional 1 North West
1st XVLeek
Tries: S Lancaster, J Kirkup, A RattrayConversions: M Fearon (3)
21
27
PENRITH 21 LEEK 27
Mike Sanderson23 Oct 2023 - 20:05
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DISAPPOINTING DEFEAT AFTER OVERCOMING 13 POINT DEFICIT
This was a game Penrith really could have done with winning and although they got themselves into a position to claim the victory as the game went into the final quarter they were just short of the experience and game management to hang on and tough it out.
They didn't have the best of starts either, the kick off was knocked on and they found themselves defending a scrum 15m from their line in the opening minute. Their initial defence was excellent as they held out a number of attacking phases but they eventually conceded a penalty and were three points down as the kick went over grazing the inside of the post. They found themselves ten points down on ten minutes after losing possession on half way, the visitors then played some decent rugby to score a converted try and things got worse shortly after when they added a second penalty and led by13 points.
For the first 20 minutes Penrith had made life far too easy for the visitors, they were giving them far too much easy possession making simple mistakes and conceding too many penalties, it was if they were still suffering from a hangover from their big defeat the week before. They did come to life after that though with the help of some aggressive tackling by Harvey Johnston and put the visitors on the back foot.
Leek conceded two penalties in quick succession to give the Cumbrians an attacking lineout, they had got over the line with a driven maul earlier in the game but couldn't ground the ball, this time they worked it to perfection. Aaron Cavaghan's throw found Archie Rattray at the front of the line and they set up the driven maul and quite easily drove over the line for Scott Lancaster to ground the ball. Mike Fearon converted nicely from wide out.
The home side now grew into the game and pressured the visitors into errors and looked to narrow the gap but on the stroke of half time it was Leek who scored next, from a penalty kicked to the 22 they won the line out and slowly inched towards the line and their patience paid off as they came away with a converted try and led 20-7 at the break.
Penrith were dominant in the first 20 minutes of the second half, they scored after three minutes, Isaac Murray came into the line from fullback in his own half and struck a raking kick to the corner and gave his side a wonderful attacking position with his 50/22 effort. The home forwards worked the catch and drive to a tee and scored, with Joe Kirkup this time coming up with the try, Fearon again converted and they were within a score.
At this stage the visitors had hardly been out of their own half and Penrith continued to press, they got a penalty 5m out and opted for the scrum, this proved to be the correct decision as Rattray broke too quickly from No8 for the defending back row and crashed over to put his side within one point. Fearon's conversion put their noses in front with just over quarter of an hour to go.
Leek hadn't posed any threat up to this point since half time but then scored immediately after, Penrith gifted them possession from a poor lineout drill and then missed tackles wide out and their lead lasted all of three minutes.
Penrith huffed and puffed but couldn't put the visitors under any real pressure to get back into the game, they dropped a pass when a score looked imminent, their lineout ball dried up and too many mistakes allowed Leek to hold out without any great difficulty.
They didn't have the best of starts either, the kick off was knocked on and they found themselves defending a scrum 15m from their line in the opening minute. Their initial defence was excellent as they held out a number of attacking phases but they eventually conceded a penalty and were three points down as the kick went over grazing the inside of the post. They found themselves ten points down on ten minutes after losing possession on half way, the visitors then played some decent rugby to score a converted try and things got worse shortly after when they added a second penalty and led by13 points.
For the first 20 minutes Penrith had made life far too easy for the visitors, they were giving them far too much easy possession making simple mistakes and conceding too many penalties, it was if they were still suffering from a hangover from their big defeat the week before. They did come to life after that though with the help of some aggressive tackling by Harvey Johnston and put the visitors on the back foot.
Leek conceded two penalties in quick succession to give the Cumbrians an attacking lineout, they had got over the line with a driven maul earlier in the game but couldn't ground the ball, this time they worked it to perfection. Aaron Cavaghan's throw found Archie Rattray at the front of the line and they set up the driven maul and quite easily drove over the line for Scott Lancaster to ground the ball. Mike Fearon converted nicely from wide out.
The home side now grew into the game and pressured the visitors into errors and looked to narrow the gap but on the stroke of half time it was Leek who scored next, from a penalty kicked to the 22 they won the line out and slowly inched towards the line and their patience paid off as they came away with a converted try and led 20-7 at the break.
Penrith were dominant in the first 20 minutes of the second half, they scored after three minutes, Isaac Murray came into the line from fullback in his own half and struck a raking kick to the corner and gave his side a wonderful attacking position with his 50/22 effort. The home forwards worked the catch and drive to a tee and scored, with Joe Kirkup this time coming up with the try, Fearon again converted and they were within a score.
At this stage the visitors had hardly been out of their own half and Penrith continued to press, they got a penalty 5m out and opted for the scrum, this proved to be the correct decision as Rattray broke too quickly from No8 for the defending back row and crashed over to put his side within one point. Fearon's conversion put their noses in front with just over quarter of an hour to go.
Leek hadn't posed any threat up to this point since half time but then scored immediately after, Penrith gifted them possession from a poor lineout drill and then missed tackles wide out and their lead lasted all of three minutes.
Penrith huffed and puffed but couldn't put the visitors under any real pressure to get back into the game, they dropped a pass when a score looked imminent, their lineout ball dried up and too many mistakes allowed Leek to hold out without any great difficulty.
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