BackSat 02 Sep 2017 · North One East
1st XVCleckheaton
Tries: O Gutteridge, R Johnson, G Graham, D Richardson, A Howe , M BousteadConversions: M Allinson (4)Yellow Carded: L Tunstall
38
20
PENRITH 38 CLECKHEATON 20
Mike Sanderson5 Sep 2017 - 17:23
GREAT START TO THE SEASON
Penrith were more than happy with their opening fixture of the new season, they entertained a more than useful Cleckheaton side who were playing National League rugby last season. The visitors were a big, well organised side with one or two good players and a very dangerous right winger who caused them problems whenever he had the ball.
The home side started the brighter of the two and kicked a penalty to the corner in the first five minutes to set up the first score. It was far from clockwork as first George Graham had to tidy up messy ball from the line out and Ed Swale did similar when a pass went astray in midfield but they put together a couple of forward drives before the ball came left, Matthew Allinson transferred the ball quickly to James Boustead who drew the man and made room on the outside for Olly Gutteridge to squeeze over in the corner. He was aware enough to run round close to the posts and make Allinson's conversion an easy one for an early seven point advantage.
Being the first game of the season both sides were making some basic error and a Cleckheaton knock on in midfield led to Penrith's second try, it was close to half way and there looked to be no imminent danger but Boustead was sharp to take advantage, he initially put away and then then support the speedy James Reynolds. He took a return pass and then found Ryan Johnson in support on the touchline and he romped in from 20m out, the conversion from the touchline went awry but the lead stretched to twelve points.
The visitors then began to see a bit more of the ball and threatened the home line, they were rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts for a home offside and took the easy points on offer. The Cumbrians had their chances before the visitors scored again, strong runs by Mike Raine and Johnson got them to the line and Will Morgan was unlucky not to score as he forced his way over only for the ball to be wrestled away from him.
The Yorkshire outfit won a scrum on half way which they moved slickly to the right and worked a one man overlap to put their winger away and they scored an excellent try and the conversion from wide pulled them back to within two points at 12-10 and that was score at the break.
After half time the home side were just surviving on scraps of possession but quick thinking by scrum-half Graham gave them a bit of breathing space. They were awarded a penalty just into their own half and Graham had it tapped and away before anyone else reacted, he stormed into the Cleckheaton half and when eventually stopped found Gutteridge, he was supported by Allinson and by this time Graham was up and running again and took a pass on the outside on the 22 and made for the line. There were still two defenders to beat on the line but he forced his way between them for a third home try and they were a full score in front.
The visitors continued to look dangerous as they dominated possession but they kept punching up the middle and the home backrow and midfield were well up to the task.
As the game went into the final quarter the visitors began to flag a little at the pace of the game told and Penrith got a strangle hold, they were temporarily up against 14 men as a Cleckheaton forward was binned and a fourth try sealed it for the home side. They won a lineout on half way which they drove to the 22, penetrating runs, notably by Boustead and Liam Tunstall, got them to the line then Dan Richardson drove down the side of the breakdown and he stretched for the line to claim his side's bonus point try.
They added a fifth with ten minutes to go, Graham put in a clever kick down the right hand touchline which the fullback had to take into touch. It gave the home side an attacking lineout which they couldn't quite score from but they were awarded a penalty. Graham took the tap and flicked the ball left to Morgan who drove in and almost made the line, it then came right to young prop Adam Howe who did manage to bulldoze over.
Cleckheaton were now 21 points adrift and with the game over as a contest, threw caution to the wind and looked dangerous as they opened up the game. They did score two tries with their right winger heavily involved, Penrith hit back with one of their own as they took advantage of a ball chipped wide for the rapid attacking winger. He was only able to knock the ball back to keep it in play and Swale was on hand to scoop it up and counter attack. He made ground then chipped the ball ahead and was in hot pursuit along with Matthew Boustead who had just been on the pitch minutes having replaced his brother, the ball bounced and sat up nicely for Boustead who sped in under the posts.
The coaching staff would have been happier if they had not conceded those two late tries but it was a great performance first up. A great deal of credit went to Andrew Holcroft who was hauled out of the second team changing room just seconds before the game as Phil Gardham badly turned his ankle in the warm up and couldn't continue, Holcroft did not look out of place and could well have topped the Penrith tackle count.
It was also testament to the home side's youth policy as the six try scorers were aged 19, 28, 27 ,22, 18 and 18 respectively.
The home side started the brighter of the two and kicked a penalty to the corner in the first five minutes to set up the first score. It was far from clockwork as first George Graham had to tidy up messy ball from the line out and Ed Swale did similar when a pass went astray in midfield but they put together a couple of forward drives before the ball came left, Matthew Allinson transferred the ball quickly to James Boustead who drew the man and made room on the outside for Olly Gutteridge to squeeze over in the corner. He was aware enough to run round close to the posts and make Allinson's conversion an easy one for an early seven point advantage.
Being the first game of the season both sides were making some basic error and a Cleckheaton knock on in midfield led to Penrith's second try, it was close to half way and there looked to be no imminent danger but Boustead was sharp to take advantage, he initially put away and then then support the speedy James Reynolds. He took a return pass and then found Ryan Johnson in support on the touchline and he romped in from 20m out, the conversion from the touchline went awry but the lead stretched to twelve points.
The visitors then began to see a bit more of the ball and threatened the home line, they were rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts for a home offside and took the easy points on offer. The Cumbrians had their chances before the visitors scored again, strong runs by Mike Raine and Johnson got them to the line and Will Morgan was unlucky not to score as he forced his way over only for the ball to be wrestled away from him.
The Yorkshire outfit won a scrum on half way which they moved slickly to the right and worked a one man overlap to put their winger away and they scored an excellent try and the conversion from wide pulled them back to within two points at 12-10 and that was score at the break.
After half time the home side were just surviving on scraps of possession but quick thinking by scrum-half Graham gave them a bit of breathing space. They were awarded a penalty just into their own half and Graham had it tapped and away before anyone else reacted, he stormed into the Cleckheaton half and when eventually stopped found Gutteridge, he was supported by Allinson and by this time Graham was up and running again and took a pass on the outside on the 22 and made for the line. There were still two defenders to beat on the line but he forced his way between them for a third home try and they were a full score in front.
The visitors continued to look dangerous as they dominated possession but they kept punching up the middle and the home backrow and midfield were well up to the task.
As the game went into the final quarter the visitors began to flag a little at the pace of the game told and Penrith got a strangle hold, they were temporarily up against 14 men as a Cleckheaton forward was binned and a fourth try sealed it for the home side. They won a lineout on half way which they drove to the 22, penetrating runs, notably by Boustead and Liam Tunstall, got them to the line then Dan Richardson drove down the side of the breakdown and he stretched for the line to claim his side's bonus point try.
They added a fifth with ten minutes to go, Graham put in a clever kick down the right hand touchline which the fullback had to take into touch. It gave the home side an attacking lineout which they couldn't quite score from but they were awarded a penalty. Graham took the tap and flicked the ball left to Morgan who drove in and almost made the line, it then came right to young prop Adam Howe who did manage to bulldoze over.
Cleckheaton were now 21 points adrift and with the game over as a contest, threw caution to the wind and looked dangerous as they opened up the game. They did score two tries with their right winger heavily involved, Penrith hit back with one of their own as they took advantage of a ball chipped wide for the rapid attacking winger. He was only able to knock the ball back to keep it in play and Swale was on hand to scoop it up and counter attack. He made ground then chipped the ball ahead and was in hot pursuit along with Matthew Boustead who had just been on the pitch minutes having replaced his brother, the ball bounced and sat up nicely for Boustead who sped in under the posts.
The coaching staff would have been happier if they had not conceded those two late tries but it was a great performance first up. A great deal of credit went to Andrew Holcroft who was hauled out of the second team changing room just seconds before the game as Phil Gardham badly turned his ankle in the warm up and couldn't continue, Holcroft did not look out of place and could well have topped the Penrith tackle count.
It was also testament to the home side's youth policy as the six try scorers were aged 19, 28, 27 ,22, 18 and 18 respectively.
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