Carlisle arrived at Winters Park without a win and only a losing bonus point to their name but you would never have guessed it from their approach to the game. They ripped into the home side right from the off, imposed themselves physically throughout and never let their effort slip even late in the game when the game had slipped away from them.
Carlisle's approach paid dividends as Penrith failed to secure the kick off and then conceded a penalty head on to the posts on the 22 which was converted for the lead within two minutes. Carlisle them shot themselves in the foot and allowed the restart drop kick to bounce and Jamie McNaughton, on the chase, was able to take it just into the 22 and drag two defenders over the line with him to make the away side's lead very short lived.
The home side after being rather caught on their heels by the city side's robust approach were able to apply a bit of pressure themselves, Carlisle were penalised on their own line and the ball was put onto touch for an attacking lineout. Penrith won their own throw but couldn't drive the ensuing maul over the line; from the breakdown on the line George Graham found Scott Lancaster on the blindside touchline and he forced his way over in the corner. Penrith allowed their near neighbours to keep themselves in the game by conceding far too many penalties, a penalty for a high tackle allowed Carlisle to kick for the corner, their lineout was solid all afternoon and they scored a well worked converted try and trailed by only two points at 12-10.
Penrith extended their lead by three points when a Joe Spencely charge in midfield led to a penalty at the breakdown which Fraser Nicolson struck nicely and they scored again following a booming clearance kick from McNaughton which went from one 22 to the other. The defence did not deal with the ball cleanly and when the ball ran loose Graham snapped it up and used his strength to make ground and was just able to stretch for the line. The visitors finished the half strongly and Penrith defended well and were relieved to reach the break with a 20-10 advantage.
Penrith turned up the pressure immediately after half time, they were on the Carlisle line and might have scored but for a knock on. The pack then drove the visitor's eight off their own scrum ball, the ball was spun wide to the right and Matty Boustead and Nick Dudson combined to put McNaughton in at the corner. Penrith continued to press and almost scored again but the ball was held up over the line, Lancaster fielded the try line drop out and fed the ball to McNaughton. From 30m out he got his head up and picked his way through the cover on the visitor's right to score a great individual try in the corner.
Penrith's next try came from another drop out when they had again been held up over the line, this time Nicolson took the ball and the forwards drove it on before it came right and Boustead picked his way through the defensive line. Carlisle then found themselves deep in the home 22 following another penalty and again they worked the catch and drive from the lineout nicely for a second try.
This score got them within 20 points but the result was never in doubt at this point and the home side added two further tries, Graham fielded a clearance kick on the left touchline and ran it back, exchanged passes with McNaughton and forced his way over in the corner. The final try fell to centre Arran Pamphilon who doesn't score many tries himself, he's normally happy to hold the three quarters together in attack and defence so his interception try was well deserved.
This physical contest was not as simple as the score line might suggest but the home side did what they had to do and secured a bonus point win, if Carlisle play as well as this between now and the end of the season they will have a win or two to their name. There is now a break in the league programme and Penrith travel to Consett a week on Saturday