PENRITH 15 BLACKBURN 21

Penrith had lost 64-17 back in November down at Blackburn and on Saturday, although they fielded a stronger side than had travelled that day, would probably have settled for a bonus point at kick off but after 80 minutes were ruing missed chances as they ran their high flying visitors right to the wire. They were all over them in the closing stages of the match and could well have forced the win.
The Cumbrian side could not have made a worse start, they knocked the kick off on under the posts to concede an attacking scrum and were seven points down within a minute as the visitors worked the try off the back of the set scrum. The home side were not phased by this early set back as it's not the first time it's happened this season but they then had to defend frantically as the visitors went through their paces. They were slick and well organised, moving the ball rapidly away from the breakdown, giving the defence no time to settle but Penrith scrambled and held on and were the next to score.
They were without the influential George Graham but young Ashton Hook deputised for him and was instrumental in the score, he made a darting run to set up Chris Jackson who crashed the ball up and almost broke clean through, Hook was there to take the return pass and the defenders were penalised at the ensuing breakdown. Rob Coward knocked over the penalty and the home side were on the scoreboard.
They were unlucky not to score when stand off Nick Dudson put a little chip over the onrushing defence close to the line, Jay Rossi looked certain to gather the ball with no visiting defenders on the line but the ball came back off the crossbar to deny him. The referee took play back for a previous infringement and the home side opted for a scrum where the penalty was awarded. Penrith were having the better of the set scrums and ran good ball off the back of it, Matty Boustead got close after muscling past a couple of tacklers and the forwards then got to the line in the right corner, not for the first time Joe Kirkup powered over in the corner. Coward couldn't hit the conversion off the touchline but the home side led 8-7.
Blackburn then came back strongly and played some more good rugby at speed and their centre broke a tackle at pace and the cover could not get to him and he went over for a converted try. They looked then to take the game away from the home side, Dudson had to leave the field after making a try saving tackle as they defended frantically, they then had a forward yellow carded for a second high tackle and the resulting penalty was kicked to the corner. The visitors worked the catch and driven maul from the lineout to perfection and crossed for a third converted try.
Penrith did have one last chance before the break, Brad Taylor took a quick tap penalty and caught the visitors on the back foot, Rossi made more ground and as the forwards piled in they got close but Sam Wilson couldn't quite make the line as the whistle went for the break and the home side trailed 21-8.
The second half started with the Lancashire side on the front foot, the home side were defending resolutely with everyone putting their bodies on the line, the visitors looked to have broken clean through again but Dylan Thompson got back to make the tackle to save his side. The visitors looked sure to add to their score as they piled on the pressure, set up attacking lineouts and played in the home 22 but it never just quite happened.
Then as the game went on the home side came more and more into the game, were enjoying the majority of the possession and increasingly playing in the opposition half and 22. They scored a second try, Rossi wriggled out of a couple of tackles down the left, he got the ball away to Coward on the wing who made ground before chipping the ball back inside. Initially it looked innocuous then Scott Lancaster got under it, fielded the ball and barged his way over. Coward knocked the conversion over and the home home side were in losing bonus point country trailing by six points.
Would this spark the visitors back into life and would they look to restore their lead and look for a fourth try and bonus point, the answer was clearly no as they looked to have little left to give as they held on grimly for the final quarter of an hour just happy to keep the home side at bay.
Penrith gave it their all, their game was far less pretty than their opponents but they threw the kitchen sink at them. They got over the line on two occasions only for the ball to be held up, they finally ran out of time and Blackburn wearily trudged off the field knowing they had been given a real game and were fortunate to have clung on.
The home side can take some credit from the fact this was only the second game of the season where the visitors had been denied a four try bonus point managing 16 in their previous 17 games.
Penrith's aim, after their more than difficult start to the season, has been to avoid relegation and their recent form has taken them clear of the relegation zone but they are far from mathematically safe. With four matches left a result at fellow strugglers Anselmians next time out would settle a few nerves and there could be more than just local pride at stake in the following game at home to Kendal. They would really like to have their status at Level 5 guaranteed before the two difficult games that complete the league season at Wirral and league leaders Macclesfield.