After the previous week's debacle at home to Chester where the side massively under performed it was a relief to the management, supporters and the players alike that it was the "real" Penrith side that turned up at unbeaten Bradford and Bingley. Coach Stuart Connel asked before the game what was his Plan B after the previous week's failings said "Plan B was to implement Plan A correctly". This his players did in spades, the week before only a handful of players had a decent game, this week you would have to be picky to find fault with anyone.
Penrith played with the slope and stiff breeze in the first half and half backs Paul Newton and Steve Wood used it to great effect ensuring the game was played almost exclusively in home territory. The Cumbrians soon turned field position into points, firstly with a Wood penalty and then a sharp break down the blind in the home 22 by Man of the Match Gavin Cartmel' he fooled the defence with a show of the ball to winger Nattrass on the outside before cutting in for a well taken try, Wood converted from wide out.
Wood narrowly missed a long range penalty attempt before grabbing his first try of the season, under pressure the home side were penalised 5 metres out and Wood took a quick tap, made to play the ball wide and drove over through a static defence. He missed the touchline conversion but it was to be the only one he missed.
The Yorkshire side appeared to be shell shocked at this stage expecting a much easier ride, but worse was to come, Mike Hawley received the ball at outside centre on the home 10m line standing still, he was still able to generate enough pace to make a clean break and although he looked as if he was going to put one of the support players in broke a couple of tackles to force his own way over.
The Yorkshire club were superior in the set scrummage and this was to fetch them their first score. As the first half drew to a close Penrith were penalised on half way, and again for not retreating, the home kick to the corner was deflected and found touch in goal for an attacking 5 metre scrum. They made their superiority pay and although the initial drive was stopped the No8 was able to barge over.
Penrith turned around to face the breeze with a 22 - 5 advantage and it hardly seemed enough. The Bradford side started the second period bullishly and were scrummaging deep in the Penrith 22 and clearly had the advantage, the visitors were penalised at the scrum, not for the first time and the home team took the three points with a simple penalty shot, the home side continued to press but as the game became more open it became clear they could not handle the inspired counter attacking of the Cumbrians.
Carmel was influential all afternoon but no more so than in his second try, he took the ball blind from the breakdown in his 22, made ground before linking with Gary Hodgson who drew the cover to put winger Tom Armstrong away, when the cover did get to him Cartmel was on hand on the inside to take the ball and blaze away to the line. Home heads began to drop when Hawley grabbed his second try, the move started when Wood found Nattrass with a cleverly chipped 22 drop out. Good link play took play to half way where Wood released a bomb to the 22 which the home defence allowed to bounce, Hodgson was on hand to field it and set up Hawley with the easiest of chances.
The home side did come back and score a try in open play before Hawley completed his hat trick, a home attack was broken down well in the Penrith half and the loose ball was hacked on, with no one from the home side able to kill the ball it was kicked over the line and Hawley won the race for the touchdown.
The rout was completed in the final play of the game when Armstrong came off his wing to take the ball off the shoulder of Wood at stand off and power his way over bursting several tackles on the way.
Although all the plaudits went to the backs who scored some excellent tries it was an all round team performance, the pack stuck to their task and although under some pressure early came out clearly on top. No 8 Ryan Johnson playing in absent captain Mike Raine's position had an immense game cleaning up a lot of loose ball at the base of a scrummage in reverse gear, Mike Stephens in his first start of the season couldn't have done any better at open side and Hodgson gets better with every game as he gets to know his team mates. The front five worked tirelessly and with confidence now rekindled the side should now be back on course for a tilt at the top of the league table