For a second week in succession Penrith had a "must win" game to stay in touch at the top of the table and for a second successive week they came up just short. Again it was not down to lack of effort or motivation, whereas the previous week's loss had been against a better Pocklington side this week's match was eminently winnable but poor decision making and untimely mistakes and penalties saw them just fail to claim the win at second in the table West Hartlepool.
The game started for real with a Penrith scrum on the centre spot after the home forwards were brought back for being in front of the kicker. A break from No8 by Mike Raine and a couple of incursions by George Graham saw a decent spell of attacking rugby from the Cumbrians and they won a penalty deep in the home 22.
The penalty was put into touch for an attacking lineout, Penrith won the ball and looked to be going for the drive to the line when they lost possession and a home breakout with a hack ahead assisted by a strong following breeze saw the home side with a similar attacking lineout on the Penrith line. West won the ball but Penrith were able to halt the drive for the line but when the ball was moved into midfield the defence were penalised in front of their posts and the home side had an early three point lead.
Penrith prospered again as the restart was knocked on into Ryan Johnson's hands, he charged ahead and the ball was moved to the right where James Boustead released Jon Fell who cut into the 22 and was brought down just short of the line, the visitors were unable to force the advantage home before a knock on released the pressure.
Penrith played some nice rugby but were not able to make it show on the scoreboard, the home side were a little more circumspect but more effective. They added a try and conversion to their score following a penalty to the Penrith 22, winning the lineout and then setting up a series of charges at the line were eventually a weak tackle allowed the score.
Penrith were now ten points adrift in what was a pretty even game but heads did not drop, they kicked a penalty into the 22 after Ed Swale was taken out in the air under a high ball. The forwards won the lineout and got over the line but were held up, they won the ensuing scrum and drove again for the line, the ball was then moved wide and Fell just failed to make the line before play was brought back for a penalty against the home defence.
They again went for the kick to the corner and the lineout and drive for the line, this time Graham was just short as he stretched for the line after the drive was held up. Another penalty was awarded and they used the same tactics. This time hooker Craig Price hit jumper Dan Richardson and the driven maul was set up and did get over the line and it was Price at the back of the maul who claimed the try. Matt Allinson's conversion into the wind put Penrith within three points and was a fairer reflection of a tight game.
Penrith took the lead before half time largely thanks to Jamie McNaughton, he fielded a well struck punt upfield and ran the ball back, was involved again as two phases of play took the ball from half way up to the 22 and was then on hand when Graham went blind to finish off the move wide on the left. That gave Penrith a 12-10 lead at the break and with the freshening wind at their backs cause to be optimistic.
They were to start the second half abysmally, Allinson sent the kick off long and the home winger ran the ball back, he broke the chasing defensive line with hardly a hand being laid on him, he was hauled down on half way but a phase of play and two nice offloads later West had scored under the posts. The conversion was a given and the home side took a lead they were not going to give up easily.
Penrith did come straight back and Callum Poulson went close to scoring breaking through the defensive line on the home 22 but was hauled down just short. West's defenders were penalised at the breakdown and Allinson put the penalty over in front of the posts to pull back the deficit to two points.
Both sides then had chances to add to their scores, Penrith were under immense pressure on their own line with a series of 5m scrums but eventually managed to clear their lines then McNaughton almost made the line but was just short and the support was too slow and the home defenders scrambled the ball clear.
As the half wore on Penrith saw less of the ball as the home side ground the result out but they did raise their game in the final five minutes and amount an assault on the home line. Allinson had a long distance penalty shot swirl wide on the wind and a second penalty was put to the corner as they tried to build up a head of steam. The game finished on the home line as West's dogged defence just held out and perhaps appropriately as Penrith gave away one more penalty.