Penrith's Papa John national semi final was a repeat of their league game away at Leek and match virtually followed the same pattern as the game in February where the Cumbrians won the game 43-41 deep into stoppage time. The only difference this time was they weren't quite able to steal the game again at the death.
Leek started as they had in the first game running hard with power and purpose and making inroads into what is normally a solid defence, getting well over the gain line time and again. It was the visitors though that opened the scoring when they were gifted the ball from a ballooned knock on. Matty Boustead and Thomas Connell made ground and Scott Lancaster was stopped just short but George Graham was in support to go over in the corner and Rob Coward added a well struck conversion.
The home side were soon level following two penalties and two attacking lineouts and a catch and drive to the line. Coward put the visitor's noses back in front with a penalty but the lead changed again following a break in the centre and a converted try. Coward pulled his side back within one point with a second penalty but as the game moved into the second quarter the home side took control.
They scored two tries and a penalty before the break to lead 31-13 and the Penrith line speed and tackling left a bit to be desired. The visitors however struck back immediately after the break, the two sets of forwards were having a real tussle, the home pack were totally in charge at the lineouts but the Cumbrian set scrummaging was far superior. This superiority gave Sam Wilson a great platform in the home half when he broke from No8, he made good ground and Graham continued the run and gave Lancaster a clear run to the line. He stepped back inside one defender and carried the last tackler to the line and just got there for the score.
Penrith then managed to prevent a try holding the ball up over the line but from the kick out the home scrum half scored a clever individual try. Again the visitors came back, this time a really strong run by Dylan Thompson was the catalyst for the score and he played the ball nicely out of contact to set Boustead away on a mazy run to the line. The visitors trailed 38-25 and a wonderful individual try down the left wing by James Bent got them back to within a score, he showed great pace and no little skill with a chip ahead and an expert gather of the ball as it bounced in front of him.
The visitor's hopes then looked to be dashed as they conceded a further two tries to trail 50-32, poor defence at a ruck allowed an opposition forward to wander straight through to score for the first with another penalty to the corner and a catch and drive for the second.
Then with ten minutes left on the clock and the home side looked shot, Penrith took command and were camped in the home 22. From an attacking scrum the forwards launched drive after drive and when the ball eventually came wide Bent was far too nimble on his feet for the flagging defenders and danced to the line. The Cumbrians scored again immediately; Richy Dadley took the restart, Isaac Murray set the backs off, Graham got play up to half way, Jay Rossi stepped a couple of defenders and set away Coward who outpaced any cover to score.
Penrith trailed by six points with added time to go and looked to break Leek hearts for a second time but it was not to be, they did get deep into the home 22 once more and did win a penalty but couldn't just force the score and the home side, to great relief, kicked the ball to touch to end the game.
Penrith hadn't quite done enough to get to the final but they'd given it a real go after falling well behind never letting their heads drop and had far from disgraced themselves.