Penrith successfully negotiated their first pre-season trial game away at Consett, they had intended to travel with a squad of 20/25 but eventually took a bare 18 and that after recruiting some of the younger squad members. Consett had just won Durham & Northumberland 1 and would have played the Cumbrians in the regular season had they not been transferred back into North 1 West. The game would therefore be a decent test for both sides prior to the start of the league programme.
The game was played in four sessions of 20 minutes, Penrith made a perfect start from a scrum on the centre spot after the home side put the kick off straight into touch. Liam Tunstall at No 8 fed George Graham and broke the initial line of defence before releasing Jamie McNaughton who easily out paced the cover. The home side replied by kicking a penalty to the corner and then setting up a driving maul to force their way over for the try. The away scored a second try from distance, from a scrum some 40m out Tunstall broke from the base and broke the first line of tacklers and then put Graham away for the try.
Penrith had won the first session two tries to one and then won the second three to one. Graham scored his second try after a flowing backs move where James Reynolds turned the ball back inside to him to find the gap. McNaughton scored his second try running a clearance kick back with Ed Swale and then his third with the best move of the game, the ball was whipped wide following a lineout which put him in space where he was able to use his pace to devastating effect. The home side again replied with a kick to the corner and the driven maul.
Consett scored twice in the third quarter, again with the driven maul and then with a charge down on half way. Penrith also scored twice, Swale went in under the posts after good work by Nathan Wooff and Jon Fell and Matt Allinson bulldozed his way over from close range.
Going into the final session Penrith may have faded up against a much bigger squad but it was testament to the fitness work they had done in the previous month that they finished the stronger of the two. Graham scored his third from a couple of yards after good work by the forwards and he them set up the final try after intercepting in his own 22 and setting away the quickest man on the pitch, Olly May.
The Penrith coaches could be pleased with their 9 tries to 4 performance, their were plenty of positives, new No 10 Wooff was clearly more than up to the task, second row John Dent who will play a much more prominent role this season put his marker down in impressive fashion and the three youngster who got the call also did well, Michael Dunne, David Whittle and Robbie Phillipson.
There's also plenty to work, clearly defending the driven maul. Individual defence was excellent but team defence needs some work but that is hardly surprising in early August. Discipline needs improving so the opposition don't have the penalties and opportunities to put themselves in attacking positions.
Penrith travel over border to Biggar this weekend for a second trial game and could face a sterner test.

Squad - Chapman Whittle Howe Dent Richardson Lindsay Dunne Tunstall Graham Wooff Fell Allinson Reynolds McNaughton Swale May Phillipson Wills