Penrith were deeply disappointed to lose a game at the death they had dominated for long periods, even the staunchest of Kendal supporters admitted their side were lucky to steal the game in the eightieth minute. The Penrith pack had had the upper hand in the set pieces but behind the scrum, where the Penrith backs have had the advantage in recent years the, contest was much more even.
The first half hour was a procession of penalties and attempted kicks at goal, Kendal missed their first opportunity in the first minute and then Matt Allinson then missed his first chance for Penrith just three minutes later. Penrith from the ensuing 22 drop out secured the ball, set up the maul and a Kendal hand where it shouldn't have been gave Allinson his second chance, this time he made no mistake and his side were three points to the good.
Penrith were having the better of open play but the penalties kept coming, Kendal effort went wide from a relatively easy position, Allinson then took on a optimistic shot just inside the Kendal half which ended up short. Kendal then missed a third before a strong Phil Armstrong drive from a scissor move set up good field position and a scrambling Kendal defence were penalised. This gave Allinson a much easier opportunity and half way through the first period he doubled the Penrith lead.
Kendal then mounted their first real assault on the Penrith line, a charged down clearance kick gave the home pack a 5m scrum, their No8 broke and there was a series of forward drives but the visitor's line held firm. The ball was eventually held up over the line resulting in another 5m scrum, the Penrith line held firm again but this time at the cost of a penalty.
For the first time in recent history the home forwards chose to kick the ball to touch in the corner rather than set another 5m scrum which was a great compliment to the scrummaging ability of the Penrith eight. Kendal then over threw the lineout ball and the visitors were able to steal the ball and were grateful to finally clear their line.
Allinson had another penalty chance go begging before the visitors added to their tally, Kendal knocked on on their own 10m line and the ball was picked and driven in a couple of times by the Penrith pack before the ball came to Allinson, he took the ball left and went to chip the ball to the corner from the 22 and it was half charged down. Jamie McNaughton, up in the line from full back, got his foot to the ball first, then toe poked it over the line before diving on the loose ball to score. Allinson then put a tricky conversion over with some aplomb and Penrith had a 13 point lead at the break which they were good value for.
The second half, initially went the same way as the first with Penrith in the ascendancy, the home backs did make one incisive break but were pulled up by the excellent 20 year old referee for crossing but as time went on the game was beginning to change. The effort put in by the visiting forwards in the first half was looking as if it was beginning to tell, as they came under pressure they were more prone to conceding penalties putting themselves under more pressure.
Kendal took advantage on the hour from a penalty kicked to the 22, they caught and drove from the line out and after numerous rucks, mauls and drives scored close to the Penrith posts makig the conversion a formality and at 7-13 they were within a score.
The final quarter saw the Kendal forwards cranking up the effort but Penrith still had their moments, a penalty was taken quickly when a shot at goal might have been the better option and winger Steven Cherry was within a whisker of taking an interception that would have won the game but the ball slipped out of his finger tips.
In the final minute of the 80 with Penrith down to 14 men Kendal kicked to the corner for one last catch and drive from the lineout, they secured the ball and inched to the Penrith line and eventually got it over the line. Now a point in arrears they needed the conversion for the win, the kicker stepped up and put his abysmal record that afternoon behind him and calmly stroked the ball straight through the posts from a wide position for an unlikely win half an hour earlier.