Penrith needed a win and preferably a win with a four try bonus point to maintain their push for a top two place but had to be happy with a draw. They had won away at Driffield back in November right at the the death, Driffield were a decent side then and had improved since and came into this game off a six match winning sequence. They had not been beaten since the beginning of January and this was never going to be a simple task.
Penrith made a workman like start and had some play in the away 22 but it was the visitors who opened the scoring with a penalty after six minutes, they had a second shot that went wide shortly after and were causing the home side problems with their strong running which was finding out some shaky home tackling.
There was little to choose between the sides and Penrith then had the upper hand, they kicked a penalty to the corner for an attacking lineout, the thrown was intended to find Liam Tunstall at the tail but cleared him and the visitors had a chance to clear their lines. The touch finder fell just short and was gathered by Jon Fell who moved the ball inside to Jamie McNaughton, play went deep into the 22 and Mike Fearon looked to be crossing for a try but was pulled back for a forward pass.
The visitors had also transgressed in the same move so the home side had a penalty which was kicked to the corner. This time the throw was good and the pack secured the ball and drove for the line and it was Lee Chapman at the back of the maul who claimed the try, Fearon added the conversion and the home side were ahead.
George Graham was having an influential game and made a number of clean breaks, as the game went into the second quarter he got clean away again and chipped the ball towards the corner and Harlan Corrie and McNaughton chased it hard. The defender just beat them to it but in a game changing incident McNaughton went down with a pull to his hamstring and couldn't continue.
The home side had struggled with selection during the week and had a bare minimum of backs and had even named three forwards on the bench, McNaughton was Penrith's most dangerous strike runner in the backs, it was Ryan Johnson who replaced him and Tunstall who moved out of the back row to fill his spot in the centre. The problems the Cumbrians could pose wide out were now much restricted.
Penrith continued to press and Chapman caused the initial break when he broke out of his own half, play continued and another break this time by Matt Allinson saw them go deep into the visitor's 22 before they were held up. Penrith were awarded the scrum 5m out and got a clean heel, Mike Raine broke from No8, he was brought down but Graham was on hand to pick and go and stretch over the line. Fearon had an easy conversion and the home side looked to have a handy 14-3 point lead with half time looming.
There was time, just, to restart the game and time for a Penrith indiscretion and a penalty to the corner. The Driffield pack worked a good catch and drive and the home forwards stopped it but illegally, Driffield had a penalty try, a reduced deficit of four points and the first ten minutes of the second half against 14 men as Johnson was yellow carded.
The 14 men of Penrith made a decent start to the half and forced a penalty which Fearon put just wide but the game continued to flow and the visitors were having their fair share of the play and scored a well worked try and conversion to retake the lead.
Penrith continued to make good line breaks but failed to clinically finish them off, Dan Richardson broke into the 22 and to the line, two phases later Graham got over but the home side were pulled back for crossing. Ed Swale jinked out of his 22 returning a kick and set up a break out, Graham and Fell took play to the visitor's 22 but the move broke down.
Penrith did level the scores after the pack drove the visiting eight off their own scrum ball and won a penalty. Fearon's penalty shot left the score at 17-17 with all to play for as the game went into the final ten minutes.
It was the away side who looked to have claimed the points, their backs caught the home threes flat footed and they went in at the corner, they managed to get the ball behind the posts before grounding it and had a seven point cushion.
Penrith made a valiant effort and stormed the away line, they were awarded a penalty on the 22 head on to the posts but three points were no good to the them, Graham tapped and went and they battered the visitor's line with a series of drives before Graham found the gap and dived over. Fearon didn't have the easiest of conversions into a slight breeze but the kick slid over and the scores were level once more.
There was just time to restart the game and Penrith may have just stole it at the death, Will Morgan who had been in good form got away on half way when he burst a couple of tackles, a try looked in the offing but the chance was closed down and the game ended all square which was probably the fairest result. Mathematically there is still a chance of a top two spot but this makes it just that bit more difficult.