Although this was Penrith's fourth defeat in succession they were not
as disappointed as with the previous losses, Rossendale are a much
better side than other recent opponents and they played with much
greater spirit than in previous weeks, they were very unlucky to lose
out this week. When you are on a winning streak things tend to go for
you and when you're not they don't, this game was a bit like that.
Penrith started pretty brightly and earned two early penalty shots,
both kickable but neither dead certs, both kicks were held up in the
wind going narrowly wide. Rossendale had the next penalty chance and
with the wind at their backs made easy work of it for the lead. At this
stage both side were trying to play open rugby and Penrith took
advantage when good tackling in the centre saw the visitors lose
possession and when the turn over ball came to Steve Wood he thwarted
the opposition rush defence, threw a long pass out over them, Gavin
Cartmel hit the line at pace from full back took the looped pass and
ran in from the 10m line without a hand being laid on him.
Penrith were soon on the scoreboaed again and new hooker Ian McDowell
was instrumental in setting it up, first his line break then the off
load out of the tackle to Mike Stephens who showed a clean pair of
heels to the cover, Wood converted this one into the wind for a decent
13-2 lead.
Penrith's achilles heel in this match was conceding far too many
penalties, it enabled Rossendale to keep them under pressure throughout
the game and at this stage it enabled them to keep themselves in the
game as they chipped away at the lead with a couple of penalties. Just
before the break the visitors got their noses in front with a well
constructed try, they swung play right and then left using their
battering ram forwards to help create space wide out and the fullback
took advantage, Penrith turned round at half time 16-12 down although
they won the half two tries to one.
They had the breeze at their back in the second period and could not
have made a better start, Wood's kickoff went dead, Mike Raine
collected the 22 drop out and as the ball was moved across the front of
the visitor's defensive line there looked to be no danger, Cartmel went
into contact and looked to have been stopped by two tacklers but
somehow managed to slither between them emerging out of the other side
to sprint to the line, Wood's conversion gave the score a much
healthier look but then Penrith's discipline began to let them down
again. One penalty too many saw them go down to 14 men as Phil Gardham
was yellow carded for a minor infringement and Rossendale camped in the
22 with the home side stuggling to clear their lines, the pressure told
and after numerous rucks on the line the scrum half went over and the
conversion left Penrith five points adrift again.
The Cumbrians still had the belief and continued to battle away, Wood
cut the arrears to two points with a penalty and despite being reduced
to 14 men again when Glen Carr was carded on 80 minutes another Wood
penalty eased Penrith ahead with only injury time to go.
Rossendale stormed the home line in added time and Penrith looked to
have weathered the onslaught when they were given the put into the
scrum for a knock on on their own line. Twice the scrum was reset then
the ball was lost against the head to what looked like an early push,
the home line was again pounded with ruck after ruck on the line until
the all the cover was pulled in and the ball went wide and to the
visitors delight the gap was found, the final kick went over and the
final whistle went 49 minutes and 17 seconds after the second half
kicked off. When your luck's not in it's not in!
It was though, a much better performance of late and the margins
between winning and losing are so tight they can only hope to put
things right when Lymm visit next week.