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Sat 20 Jan 2024 ·  Regional 1 North West
1st XVWirral
Tries: R Coward, N Dudson, J Dowson, A RogersPenalties: R Coward
23
24
PENRITH 23 WIRRAL 24
Mike Sanderson22 Jan - 20:24
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YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU DESERVE
Penrith were hoping their recent improved form would enable them to get the better of fourth placed Wirral who played at Winters Park last Saturday in what turned out to be extremely poor conditions. They didn't quite get the better of them but couldn't have been much closer losing by a single point and leading as the game went over the 80 minutes.
In the opening quarter the home side didn't look much like getting anything from the game as they were second best in almost every department bar the set scrum to a big, well drilled and dangerous looking side. Their backs looked sharp and ran good attacking lines and their big pack were taking some containing.
The Cumbrians were industrious and not short on effort and defended strongly but found themselves 14 points down to two well taken converted tries. The writing looked to be on the wall but the home side rallied and got themselves back into the game, their dominance at the set scrum helped, earning them penalties to gain field position and the backs slowly began to find their feet.
They had Matty Boustead to thank for their first score, Nick Dudson fielded a high clearance kick and threw a long cross field pass to him, he accelerated around the oncoming centre and from his own half sped into the 22, just as the cover closed in on him he released Rob Coward outside him who had the pace to make the corner.
A strong run from Sam Wilson lifted his side and took play to the 22, the visitors were penalised at the breakdown and Penrith opted for a scrum on the 22, such was their dominance. The visitors were penalised again at the set piece so the hosts had a free ball and drove into the 22. When the ball went to Boustead on the short side he put through a delightful grubber kick to the corner which Dudson placed carefully for a second try.
The home side were looking much more lively now and at the break trailed 14-10, they also started the second half in similar vein and after quarter on an hour got their noses in front. Again they had the backs to thank as they attacked wide down the right, it came back left and sharp handling in the centres by Boustead and Rossi got Coward away on the outside, he cut back inside and didn't quite make the line but Isaac Murray was on hand to set up the maul and Dowson was next on the scene to pick the ball and get the touch down.
Penrith led by the odd point and were close to going further ahead when Wilson broke from a scrum on his 22, burst several tackles and the ball came to Dowson who off loaded out of contact and then Rossi was clean away with the line at his mercy when he was called back for a knock on. Penrith weren't long in extending their lead as they attacked again, after a number of forward drives on the left the ball came back to Mike Fearon in the pocket at stand off, he set up prop Andy Rogers with a pop ball and he crashed through the first line of defence and showed a deal of pace to get past the full back for the home side's fourth and bonus point try. The conversion was missed in some confusion over the defenders charge down but the lead was pulled out to 20-14.
With 20 minutes left the visitors visibly tried to raise their game and add some momentum with some success, they added a third try from a tap penalty but scored wide out to the right and the conversion slipped wide leaving them adrift by a single point.
The home pack then won another penalty at the set scrum, this time on the 22 head on to the posts and Coward slotted the kick to extend the lead to four. Penrith defended stoutly as the clock ticked down. Wirral kicked a penalty to the corner for what looked like the last play of the game, the home side countered the initial catch and drive from the line out but the visitors still had the ball deep in the home 22. The ball went to ground several times as Penrith put their bodies on the line but each time it was adjudged to have either gone backwards or forward off the boot, the home defenders had forced play away from their line but were then penalised again.
The ball was again kicked to the corner, there was a suspicion it had gone dead but was adjudged not to have and this time the visitors worked the catch and drive much more efficiently. When this tactic is employed properly it is virtually impossible to thwart and in the second minute of added time the maul went over the home line for the winning score.
It was heart breaking for the home side who had fought and played out of their skins but as Head Coach David Preston told his players immediately after the game "you don't always get what you deserve".
Although gutted at the final result the squad might reflect on the quality of their performance and the two bonus points they did secure, also the fact they have accrued 18 of the 25 available points in the last five games.
In the opening quarter the home side didn't look much like getting anything from the game as they were second best in almost every department bar the set scrum to a big, well drilled and dangerous looking side. Their backs looked sharp and ran good attacking lines and their big pack were taking some containing.
The Cumbrians were industrious and not short on effort and defended strongly but found themselves 14 points down to two well taken converted tries. The writing looked to be on the wall but the home side rallied and got themselves back into the game, their dominance at the set scrum helped, earning them penalties to gain field position and the backs slowly began to find their feet.
They had Matty Boustead to thank for their first score, Nick Dudson fielded a high clearance kick and threw a long cross field pass to him, he accelerated around the oncoming centre and from his own half sped into the 22, just as the cover closed in on him he released Rob Coward outside him who had the pace to make the corner.
A strong run from Sam Wilson lifted his side and took play to the 22, the visitors were penalised at the breakdown and Penrith opted for a scrum on the 22, such was their dominance. The visitors were penalised again at the set piece so the hosts had a free ball and drove into the 22. When the ball went to Boustead on the short side he put through a delightful grubber kick to the corner which Dudson placed carefully for a second try.
The home side were looking much more lively now and at the break trailed 14-10, they also started the second half in similar vein and after quarter on an hour got their noses in front. Again they had the backs to thank as they attacked wide down the right, it came back left and sharp handling in the centres by Boustead and Rossi got Coward away on the outside, he cut back inside and didn't quite make the line but Isaac Murray was on hand to set up the maul and Dowson was next on the scene to pick the ball and get the touch down.
Penrith led by the odd point and were close to going further ahead when Wilson broke from a scrum on his 22, burst several tackles and the ball came to Dowson who off loaded out of contact and then Rossi was clean away with the line at his mercy when he was called back for a knock on. Penrith weren't long in extending their lead as they attacked again, after a number of forward drives on the left the ball came back to Mike Fearon in the pocket at stand off, he set up prop Andy Rogers with a pop ball and he crashed through the first line of defence and showed a deal of pace to get past the full back for the home side's fourth and bonus point try. The conversion was missed in some confusion over the defenders charge down but the lead was pulled out to 20-14.
With 20 minutes left the visitors visibly tried to raise their game and add some momentum with some success, they added a third try from a tap penalty but scored wide out to the right and the conversion slipped wide leaving them adrift by a single point.
The home pack then won another penalty at the set scrum, this time on the 22 head on to the posts and Coward slotted the kick to extend the lead to four. Penrith defended stoutly as the clock ticked down. Wirral kicked a penalty to the corner for what looked like the last play of the game, the home side countered the initial catch and drive from the line out but the visitors still had the ball deep in the home 22. The ball went to ground several times as Penrith put their bodies on the line but each time it was adjudged to have either gone backwards or forward off the boot, the home defenders had forced play away from their line but were then penalised again.
The ball was again kicked to the corner, there was a suspicion it had gone dead but was adjudged not to have and this time the visitors worked the catch and drive much more efficiently. When this tactic is employed properly it is virtually impossible to thwart and in the second minute of added time the maul went over the home line for the winning score.
It was heart breaking for the home side who had fought and played out of their skins but as Head Coach David Preston told his players immediately after the game "you don't always get what you deserve".
Although gutted at the final result the squad might reflect on the quality of their performance and the two bonus points they did secure, also the fact they have accrued 18 of the 25 available points in the last five games.
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